


White Picket Fence

by OnyourRadar



Category: SKAM (France)
Genre: Emma is a Pimp, Fluff, Multi, fake boyfriend, humor? maybe, supportive friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2020-03-19 20:21:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18977668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnyourRadar/pseuds/OnyourRadar
Summary: "Yann?!""What?""He's...he's out with my mother right now!Shopping." Lucas screams into the phone. He's on a crowded bus and he doesn't care that his flailing arms might smack a child in the face. "What's he doing that for, she's my mom, not his?"There's a pause on the other line."Let me ask you...are you jealous ofhimor jealous of yourmother?"Lucas is not going to answer that question. Yann is stupid.-or-Lucas gets a fake boyfriend and it works out too well.





	1. Matchmaker

Just from listening to his mother rant, at 22 Lucas is already feeling the pressure of needing to settle down, buy a house, and pop out a kid and a half just so he can waste his Sunday evenings sitting around his mother and father’s kitchen table discussing the mundane everyday ongoings in his life. 

Maybe his imaginary wife would ask him to pass the mashed potatoes. And he would do it without complaint. As she ladles her plate with the over-buttered starchy goodness, his mother would ask about how so and so has been doing. What was his son---or would he have a daughter, (really what the fuck does it matter anymore)--- up to these days? And maybe he would respond in kind with, “Well, mother, what do you think kids like to do nowadays…”. Because he wouldn’t be able to help himself. 

He isn’t able to help himself now as he sits with his head pressed against the kitchen table, arms hanging loosely to his side. 

“You know Lucas, I’m getting up there in age. I’d like to know your being taken care of, that some nice girl will…” She trails off and he can hear her sniffling into her hand. He groans loudly from where he sits. 

Really, he only wants one thing and that is to focus on going to school and graduating. Okay that’s a lie. He really wants to focus on school and graduate and he really, really, wants his mother to finally accept the fact that he was gay and a girl was never going to be in the picture. 

He wants to tell her he has had lots of men ‘take care’ of him. And in such delicious ways. But he keeps it to himself. She always has such a way of changing the topic and pretending he never said such a thing. 

“What? What now? Why do you always do that when we talk about this? I’m serious Lucas, you’re 22 and I’ve not seen you bring home anyone, not since that Imane girl for that one project...when was that. Oh what does it matter she’s not…”

“Not what mom?” He turns his head, sitting up with his elbow on the table. He looks at her pointedly. 

“Well she was that muslim girl right?” 

“And?”

She waves him off. “I’m just saying she doesn’t seem like your type.”

“She’s not. She’s just a friend.” 

“Well that’s what I was saying.”  
“Mom…”

“What baby?”

“I like dicks.” 

“Lucas! I can’t believe you just...kids these days don’t have any tack. Always on with their gay jokes.” She trails off, her eyes looking everywhere but at Lucas. “I know what I’ll do, I’ll have to invite over that girl who lives just around the corner. I think she goes to school with you actually. I’ll need to ask her mother if she is seeing anyone.” 

“No mom, listen!” he stands up slamming his hands on the table effectively shutting her up. “It’s not a joke. I’ve been telling you the same thing since I was 14. And each time you brush it away like I didn’t mean it. I _mean_ it.” He steps away from the table. 

He doesn’t know why he is so upset. Usually he takes her blatant denial in stride. But he feels a rush of anger. Like he is about to topple over.His chest tightens and it becomes difficult for him to breathe. The pin prickling sensation starts at the corners of his eyes and he blinks rapidly. 

He was _not_ going to cry. 

“I need to get out of here.” He runs his hand through his hair and exhales with his cheeks puffed out. 

“No Lucas please, sit!” He doesn’t move as his mother rushes to him, pushing him back down in his seat. She replaces his hand with her own, running her gentle fingers softly through his mussed up locks. 

He leans his head against the flat of her stomach and closes his eyes. No matter what, she is his mother and she always knew what to do to calm him. He feels himself fall into the comfort. 

When her hands slow to a stop he lifts his eyes to look at her, moving only the slightest bit. She brings one hand to her mouth as she chokes back a silent cry, her blue eyes wet with tears. 

“Mama…”

“Oh Lulu, I’ve been horrible.” she doesn’t hold back the tears, her voice cracking and she tries to breathe but starts hiccuping from the force of her emotions. 

“Oh no, mama don’t cry. I-it’s okay. You’re not horrible.” Lucas tries to to soothe her. She cries harder until he stands and wraps his arms around her frail frame. 

“I just want a grandbaby so bad.” She wails. “I want to know that you’ll pass on your good looks. That you’ll have someone to take care of and you’ll watch them grow and grow old yourself...I want you to be happy and feel like you are the luckiest person in the world.” She looks up at him, her hiccups shaking her body in his hold. “Like I do everytime I look at you...” 

“But mama, I am happy!” He holds her at arms length and they both let out a watery chuckle. “I’m happy being me and plus I can always adopt. Or I can get a puppy?” He jokes, trying to urge her grin to become a full blown smile. 

“Lucas,” she brings her hands up to cup at his face. “That’s all I want.” She turns away, her hand slipping to pat him once, twice on his chest. She heads towards the living room muttering and Lucas can only shake his head. Both his arms coming up to wrap around his neck and bearing down, his odd way of releasing the tension inside. 

Crisis averted. 

“Ah I know!” He spoke too soon. “Doesn’t that girl, what’s her name have an older brother? We could invite him over. Though, I he might be too old. I’ll just check in with one of the ladies at church and see if they have some...oh no that won’t do. That won’t do at all…”

“No! No more setting up dinner dates!” He looks at her exasperated, eyes wild. 

“Well, why not? Your not exactly bringing home any eye candy…”

“I….I already have a boy...f-friend.” 

Fuck. 

“You do?” She comes back towards the kitchen, not quite entering as she braces herself at the entryway. 

“Y...yesss…” 

Fuck. 

“Since when? Why haven’t you invited him over? You should have told me sooner!” She bombards him and Lucas feels the floor drop from beneath him. He struggles to pull himself together to come up with another lie to stop her from going. 

“Well, would you look at the time” He holds up his arm and looks at the watch that he doesn’t own. “I’ve got class in about half an hour so I better get going.” He blows her a kiss and leaves, the door a resounding slam behind him. 

He hears her shout after him. Her voice is loud but his lie echoes louder in his head. 

How on earth was he going to get out of this one?

Lucas pulls out his phone as he hops on the bus heading towards campus. He wasn’t lying per se, when he told his mother he had class, but he may have stretched the truth a bit. He wasn’t due for class for another 2 hours. 

He quickly sets up a group chat, hoping, and knowing full well he was placing far too much trust in his boys, that they would have the answers to all his problem.

**Lucas**  
_I need help!_

**Yann**  
_What did you do?_

Lucas rolls his eyes at the immediate assumption that he did something. As if there was was no possible way that something could have happened to him instead. He loved his friends. They knew him so well.  
**Bas**  
_Wait. Will this require us hiding_  
_a body or something?_

 **Arthur**  
_First off, if it did, you would be_  
_the last person Lucas would ask_  
_for help_.  


Lucas frowns in contemplation. Arthur is not wrong. 

**Lucas**  
_Can we not assume I’ve done something for once?_  
_But seriously._  
_I fucked up._  


**Bas**  
_hahahahha, riggghhhtt._

**Lucas**  
_….I’m taking Bas off the group chat._

Lucas doesn’t joke. He sticks his tongue out at his phone as he deletes Basile from the group chat. Yes. He is petty.

 **Lucas**  
_Now that we’ve got that over and done with._  
_I told mama I have a boyfriend…_  
_Help._

 **Yann**  
_No shit. That. Is_  
**FUCKING.** _Gold_

 **Lucas**  
_Fuck off Yann._  
_I know I messed up._

 **Arthur**  
_Well here’s a thought._  
_idk have you thought of_  
_just telling her the truth?_  


**Lucas**  


_This is mama we are talking about_  
_There is no reasoning with her…_

**Arthur**  
_So get a boyfriend?_  
_No other way round that_

 **Yann**  
_Have Bas pretend to be your boy_  
_I’m sure mama Lallemant will eat_  
_it up!_  


**Lucas**  


_Once again Yann… FUCK OFF ___  
_I need real solutions._ **REAL** Solutions.

**Yann**  


_Hahaha_  


**Lucas**  


_That’s it, I’m removing you from_  
_the chat._

____

**Yann**  


_No wait, wait. Seriously though_  
_Get Emma to pull some strings._  


**Lucas**  


_...I’m listening._  


**Arthur**  


_Oh! That’s a great idea. Emma_  
_knows lots a guys who’d be willing_  
_to date you._  


**Yann**  


_She does, but we talking real dating or_  
_someone who can fake it for a bit?_  
_I was thinking Emma’s got a lot of shit on the_  
_boys she knows. I’m sure she can get_  
_someone willing to fill in till you_  
_figure out how to stand up to_  
_Mama Lallemant._  


**Lucas**

_Emma’s a pimp now?_  


**Arthur.**  


_Or...OR!.... Wait for it….. You can_  
_Go meet someone like a normal person._  


**Lucas**  


_I dunno. I kinda like this idea of Emma as a pimp. Arthur_  
_stop being the voice of reason._  
_Meet me in the Foyer in 10?_  
_And yes bring Bas._

****

Lucas puts away his phone and waits impatiently for his stop. He stands with his entire arm wrapped around the pole, leaning his weight on it as the bus surges toward. He's not one to sit, knowing how fidgety he can get. At least, while standing, Lucas has control over the bouncing of his legs or the tapping of his toes. 

It also helps that he can get off the bus quicker when he is standing. He doesn't worry about waiting for others to pass him by. 

Lucas is not the first to arrive. When he walks in he sees Arthur, Yann, and Basile playing by the foosball table. He nods towards the girls who have huddled in one corner talking amongst themselves. 

Yann waves him over, a momentary lapse of judgement on his part as he lets go of a handle and allows Basile to score. 

“FUCK! I win!” The curly haired boy backs away and completes his victory dance with arms thrown wildly in the air. 

Lucas rolls his eyes. 

“So…” He starts when he reaches them. Basile pauses his dance to clasp him on the shoulders, like one would do to a stranger at a funeral as if to say, “Sorry for you loss.” 

“They filled me in.” He sucks in a breath through clenched teeth. “Looks like you got yourself in a predicament..” The click of his tongue in his mouth makes Lucas want to rip it out. He glares at the other boy who does not try to hold back his laughter. 

So Lucas turns to Yann and Arthur who are both smiling but have yet to say much. 

“We, uh… wanna go talk to Emma?” Yann nods his head while Arthur rolls his eyes and throws up his arms in defeat. 

The four of them walk towards the girls, dispearsing themselves among the empty seats. 

“Hey, how goes it.” Lucas starts up the casual conversation and it’s Manon who cocks a brow. 

“What do you want?” 

“What makes you think I want anything?” Lucas acts offended. He brings a delicate hand and presses it against his chest.

“Cut the shit, Lucas.” It’s Emma. Straight to the point, these girls. 

Yann laughs at the bugged-eyed look that appears on Lucas’ face. 

“Emma, chill. Lucas has a favor to ask.” The brunette turns her pretty hazel eyes on Yann, and inner-Lucas wants to shout to the world the softness he sees in her gaze. He thinks it wouldn’t go over very well so he doesn’t. 

Lucas pleads at Yann with his blue eyes, knowing the other would feel pity for him (because pity is what he deserves) and ask Emma himself. 

He hears Yann sigh, and does a mental victory dance. 

“So Lucas needs someone who is willing to pretend to be his boyfriend. For like two weeks maybe. Go to dinner at his parents, pretend to be in love and all that shit, then break up.” 

Emma looks confused for a second. 

“So why are you asking me? I don’t have a cock, you of all people would know that.”

“Get it Emma!” is Alexia’s quick shout, though her attention is drawn to the phone in her lap. 

Lucas huffs out a sharp laugh. “No believe me, I’m not looking for you to pretend to be a dude on my behalf.” 

Yann smiles wryly at their interaction and Lucas shoots him a grin. “Yeah, I know you’re not a man. Buttt, you’ve fucked enough of them to have some dirt, so I was hoping you could pull some strings.”

“I should be offended that you think I’d stoop so low as to--”

“Can we not pretend that you don’t do that Emma?” It’s Daphne that speaks up, smile wide on her face. Emma tilts her head in contemplation and she swallows back her words. 

“Okay, yeah. I know some who would and if they don’t I know what to say so that they will.” She pauses, her eyes set on Lucas. “What do I get out of this?” 

Lucas shrugs, his eyes darting between Emma and Yann. “I don’t know...but I’m sure you’ll think of something.” He baths in the blush that adorns her face. 

“Cool. I’ll talk to some people. Tomorrow, I want you to wait by the cafe in the library. Whoever I get will meet you there at, let’s say 5?”

“How do you kno--”

“They’ll be there.” Lucas nods his head. He likes her confidence. He isn’t sure he should. 

 

 

__________________________________________

When Emma approaches the group of boys, she does so with confidence. She has her target set and in her line of sight. She likes Lucas, so of course she doesn’t want to choose someone who is an asshole to pretend to meet his parents. She hones in on Alex who is standing, sweat dripping from his toned and muscular body, surrounded by his boys. 

“Ey! Emma, fancy seeing you around here.” Emma flips Idriss off and he doesn’t bat an eye.  
She’s familiar with this group of boys. Where Alex was, Idriss, Sofiane, Eliott and are never far. 

And she calls it. She sees Sofiane and Eliott passing the ball back and forth to each on the court. Alex turns to face her when he hears his friends greeting. 

She chooses Alex because Alex is hot and sweet, and would be able to lie better that Idriss. If Sofiane wasn’t so smitten with Imane, she might’ve considered asking him, since the boy was an angel. Eliott...well Eliott was quiet. Sweet. Funny. Fucking gorgeous but she didn’t know him well enough. She had no dirt on him. 

Alex walks up and greets her with a small kiss on her cheeks. 

“Hey, what brings you here?” 

Idriss walks over and slings an arm across Alex’s shoulders, his build looming over the two of them. 

Of the four Idriss and Eliott stood the tallest. Emma only knows this because she had to think, who would look best standing besides her boy Lucas. 

She can’t change how short Alex was but at least he stands a bit taller than Lucas. Emma pats herself on the back thinking she really should make a career out of matchmaking. Aside from the fact that Alex wasn’t gay, and this was all a ruse. 

"A friend of mine needs some help and I thought you'd be perfect for it." 

Alex looks skeptical (not one person in room was dumb enough to think that things were ever so simple when Emma asks for a favor) but he nods his head. 

"What's up?" He asks. 

"You know Lucas Lallemant?" 

A loud crack reverberates in the gym and they all turn for a second to look at the scene play out before them. Somehow Eliott ends up on the floor clutching at his face. Sofiane rushes at the other an apology on his lips. 

"Shit, Eliott you good?!" 

Idriss let's go of Alex and wanders over to the other two laughing. "If you can't catch, you can't hang Eliott." 

Eliott accepts the proffered hand but when he stands he light shoves at Idriss smile on his face. "Fuck off." 

Alex shakes his head and turns back towards Emma. 

"He's going to be okay?" She sees his lips are split, top and bottom, blood dripping down his chin. Alex nods. 

"Yeah, happens all the time. Dude, heals fast too." Alex reassures her. "Anyways yeah. Lucas? What about him?"

"He needs someone to pretend to be his boyfriend for like two weeks. You know, go, meet his mom once, twice, maybe three times then break up."

Alex's eyes jump up to his hairline. Emma thinks she sees dread shine his eyes. She thinks it's cute. 

"I thought maybe, maybe you could step up." 

"What? Why me? I'm not even gay?!" There's a slight panic in his. "Don't get me wrong, Lucas is super chill and I find it hard to believe that Lucas can't get himself a real boyfriend, but am I even the right person for this?" 

Emma sighs. " I don't know why he can't either, he has shit luck with guys who want him for one thing and one thing only." 

When Alex looks at her confused, Emma uses her fingers to emulate sex, rapidly pumping her pointer finger in and out of the makeshift hole she creates with her fist. 

Alex says nothing. Idriss let's a loud snort doubling over in the background. 

"They fuck him, Alex!" She throws up her hand exasperated. "Then they leave. God!" She wonders if this is why it never worked out between the two of them.

"Oh, okay. But still," he holds up his hands. "I'm still not gay and I really don't…"

Emma's expression hardens. She steps forward, steel in her voice. 

"Oh you're going to do it. You're going to lie to Lucas' mother. Tell her how you love her son, how you met God knows where, you'll hold his hand when she is looking, whisper sweet nothings in front of her, and after two weeks you'll break up and forget it ever happened."

"You can't tell me what to do."

Emma cocks a brow. 

"Baby...do I need to remind you. Of that time… remember? In the bathroom… with the vacuum and when--"

"Okay! Shit! Stop!!" Alex jumps into action. He runs and covers her mouth and looks around frantically. " I'll fucking do it, just-- fuck you said you'd never bring it up!"

When he let's go of her mouth, Emma is smirking. 

"Meet him at the library cafe tomorrow at 5. Don't be late." She blows him a kiss and walks out of the gym waving to the other boys who stood gaping at her. 

"What does she have on you man?" It's Sofiane who asks. He looks at Alex who shakes his head, a red blush coloring his dark skin. 

"F-forget it dude, let's just play." 

"So a vacuum, huh?" Alex shoves Idriss hard, the tall boy falls to the ground laughing.


	2. Coffee, Tea, or Me?

When he gets high, Alex is a thinker. He enjoys the quiet and he enjoys sitting back and relaxing. He easily gets lost for hours when left to his own thoughts. So, Alex breathes in and holds it. He lets the smoke settle and curl around his lungs before letting it go. When he breathes out, it is a steady stream of opaque smoke through his mouth, through his nostrils. 

He lies back and rests his head on the armrest before lifting his arm to hand over the burning joint. He closes his hazel eyes, pupils blown wide, and lets the world spin slightly behind his lids.

Idriss reaches for it with a nod of his head as thanks. 

“Don’t you have to turn in your project today before 4:30”

Alex feels his eyebrows tick for a second. He nods, eyes remaining closed. 

“And it’s 3:55 already.” 

He cracks his eyes and looks at Sofiane who sits on the floor, knees bent and ankles crossed. 

“Mmhm.” He lets out, noncommittal. 

“You have to actually pick the project up from the lab and then drop it off half way across campus…”

Alex grunts. He feels stupid for leaving his work in the science lab. It was bound to be locked up when he got there. Lucky for him, he does carry a spare key, having got it, probably not so legally from his professor thanks to his standing as a teacher’s assistant for his work study position.

“Then you have that 5 o’clock meeting with Lucas.”

Alex groans. 

“Whyyyyyy are you doing this to me?” His voice is a soft whine, he is still chasing the high but his heart beats a bit faster than he wants it to. 

Sofiane shrugs even though they both can’t see. Of the four he is the only one not high. 

Sofiane looks up at Idriss who is laughing so hard he is doubled over, one hand gripping at his stomach and the other holding the joint, points at the kitchen. 

Alex has twisted his head, drawn by the sound of Idriss’ wheezing. He follows the finger and sees Eliott standing in the kitchen hand in the ceramic cookie jar. The boy’s blue eyes are half open, red and concentrated so intently on the jar. 

Sofiane smiles goofily at his friend. 

“Need help over there, dude?” 

Eliott doesn’t respond. He doesn’t really move or show any acknowledgement of the other three. 

“Eliott?” Alex cocks an eyebrow, and when he shouts his name again, Eliott’s head snaps up and his eyes are wide, hand still in the cookie jar. 

“What?”

“Wanna gimme one?” Alex asks. Eliott looks down at the jar and back at Alex. He points with his free hand. 

“A cookie?”

“Dude, did you smoke the same thing they did?” Sofiane asks. Idriss is still laughing. 

Eliott smiles instead of answering. 

“Yes a cookie, Eliott. What else are you holding over there.”

Eliott shrugs. “I can’t” He lifts the hand that is pushed in the cookie jar and the jar moves with him, lifting up from the counter. He waves his hand. “I’m stuck.” 

Alex’s shoulders shake when he laughs at the ridiculous sight of Eliott waving around a cookie jar. He understands Idriss state a little better now. 

“Do you want help?” Sofiane offers, a smile bright on his lips. Eliott shakes his head slowly, runs his free hand through his hair and laughs at himself. 

“No...I’m good.” 

Sofiane shakes his head before turning back to Alex. 

“It’s 4:10, better get your ass up.”

Alex is back to groaning. How is time slipping away so quickly. He runs a hand across his face and sinks into himself a little. He feels only the slightest bit bad that he will show up to his meeting with Lucas high. 

“Okay, I’m out.” Alex lifts himself up. His movement is slower than usual as he stands, grabs his black bag that lays slouched by the door. He chuckles again as Eliott waves with the cookie jar still attached, salutes Sofiane, and ignores Idriss who sits back laughing at nothing and everything. 

He looks down at his phone and thinks he still has time if everything goes right. Alex misses the calculated look that follows him out the door, aimed at him from the comfort of the kitchen.

When Alex gets on the bus, a meer 10 minute ride awaits him. He keeps a steady pace trying to beat time as he heads towards his science lab. Alex tests the handle. Locked as he assumes. 

He swings his bag and drops it to the floor in front of him. When his hand digs in he feels around and his hazy mind can’t seem to come to terms with the fact that his fingers grasp at miscellaneous papers, pens, pencils, and a half eaten chocolate bar. 

He forces the opening to spread wider. Alex thinks maybe some light will magically make what he is searching for appear. 

“Wait.” He whispers to himself. He roughly pulls the zipper of the front pocket of his bag, rummages through it and finds binder clips, some gum wrapper but no keys. “Fuck!” 

Alex looks at the time on his phone. 4:30. 

He was late in turning in his work. If he goes back to the apartment to search for his keys he will definitely be late in meeting with Lucas. Emma was going to destroy him. He mentally weighed the pros and cons. 

Does he meet Lucas and forget his work, resulting in a failing grade. Or does he go get the keys, turn in his work a little late and head to the library late and ask for forgiveness? He opts to worry about his grade but thinks he is making a terrible, _terrible_ mistake. 

This time he runs back to the bus stop, hoping to catch the next one. Alex isn’t religious. But he _prays_. His future depends on this. Emma and the vacuum be damned.

 

___

Eliott stands at the kitchen. His eyes dart to look at Sofiane and Idriss who are talking back and forth with each other. Well...Sofiane was talking to Idriss who looked like he was sleeping with his eyes open with a smile permanently painted on his face. 

Eliott held the jar with his right hand, with a twist of his wrist and force behind the pull, his hand pops out, free of any cookie. He looks in the cookie jar, satisfied and covers it back up before pushing it back against the corner of the counter; out of sight out of mind. 

He pulls out his phone. 4:45. He needs to head out. 

When he makes a move to leave the kitchen, he is stopped by Sofiane’s imposing yet short stature at the entryway. His eyes questioning. 

Eliott smiles, easily. 

“Hey… did you want a cookie?” 

Sofiane shakes his head slowly. “No...headed somewhere?” 

Eliott shrugs. “Just going for a walk?”

“Want company?” 

Eliott rocks on his heels, ansty. “No that’s okay… just want to get some air, you know?”

Eliott has to pace himself so as to not appear to be in a rush as Sofiane nods and moves out of the way for him. When the door closes behind him his saunter becomes a full on sprint down the stairs and straight to the street. He has a ten minute window to get to the library before his boy gets there. And he doesn’t want to be late. 

Eliott uses his reflection in the dirty bus window to ensure he looked presentable. He runs his hand through his hair and the strands move with his fingers, getting messier. It’s a lost cause.  
He tilts his head back and forth and looks for anything amiss on his face. Nothing. Check.  
When he hears a chuckle to his left, he turns his blue eyes to an elderly woman who has her hand pressed against her lips, suppressing a laugh. 

A blush colors his face and he looks down at his phone pretending that did _not_ just happen. When Eliott hops off the bus, with just a shred of his dignity left (because he couldn’t have possibly imagined that the elderly woman groped his ass while getting off at her stop) he jogs to the library that is located on the east side of campus. He has 5 minutes before this meeting and he needs to not psych himself out. 

He reaches the tall glass doors and he reaches for the handles but doubt starts to fester in his thoughts and his hand is left hanging in limbo. 

_No...I can do this…_

No, he needed to do this. He couldn’t exactly back out now, not when his boy was _waiting_ for him… well he didn’t know he was waiting for Eliott per se but Eliott needs to keep his thinking positive for now. 

So he grasps the handle and strolls in. Eliott is immediately attacked by the unique scent that can only scream old books and dusty shelves mixed with the overpowering fragrance of ground coffee beans and cocoa powder. When Eliott scans the floor he sees one or two students, first or second years, lazing around, books in hands. Some sit or lay on the couch in the common area staring at their phone while work lies on table tops forgotten. 

Eliott walks towards the cafe and he sees him. He sees Lucas who was at the other entrance, still outside of the building holding a heavy stack of manila folders that was sky high. Lucas has one hand holding the base of the stack, his chin the anchor on top. The pile wobbles precariously. The short boy struggles with one hand to pull open the door. 

Eliott in all his haste to help, scuttled over-- because he definitely didn’t want to seem so desperate-- and held the door open. 

“Ah! Thanks so much” 

Oh the voice of an angel. 

Eliott is about to say you’re welcome, but he wasn’t expecting the other boy to continue moving forward without looking. By the tug Eliott feels on his foot, he has exactly .5 seconds to catch Lucas before his baby eats absolute shit. 

He watches in slow motion as Lucas falls forward, the stack of folders thrown harshly in the air as he loses his grip and balance. Though he can’t save the papers, Eliott reaches out and grasps Lucas by the shoulder and pulls him right side up. He didn’t mean to trip the other boy. But with how close they are standing, Eliott can’t promise he wouldn’t try this again.

When Eliott looks down, Lucas has both hands gripping tightly on Eliott’s biceps. As papers float down all around them in a makeshift winter wonderland, Eliott can’t be bothered to care that they will have to clean this up in the next couple of minutes. But to be lost in those blue eyes, he thinks it was completely worth it. 

“...h-hey.” 

Eliott smiles at the soft stutter. 

“Hey.” Lucas has yet to let go of him. Eliott has _no_ problem with this. He won’t ever say anything if he can help it. 

“H-hi. Um.” Eliott can practically see the wheels turning as Lucas’ baby blue eyes flicker all over his face, down to his chest, back up again. He feels those fingers tightening their grip and loosening it. Eliott would have flexed if he didn’t think that would have left a bad taste in Lucas’ mouth. 

Eliott chuckles. _“Hi.”_ Maybe it’s how Eliott smiles, he’s not sure but he needs to remedy it quickly, but Lucas jolts into action. The shorter boy lets go off Eliott as if burned by the touch and he looks all around them. 

“Shit, I can’t believe I fucking dropped it all.” Lucas is on his knees in front of Eliott in seconds trying his best to gather all of the papers together. “And I just organized all of these too.” Lucas is too busy muttering to himself to notice how Eliott has puffed out his cheeks to rid himself of the blush that adorns his face when his brain finally registers the position Lucas is in. 

On his knees. Right in front of him. 

Jesus. Fuck. 

Eliott drops to knees to help pick up the paper. He doesn’t say anything right away, even when Lucas stops moving and is staring blatantly at the other. 

“You don’t have to, I’ve got this.” 

Eliott looks at the other and smiles at how cute he is being. The blush on those high cheekbones are a bonus. 

“Buy me a coffee after?” _Smooth_ , Eliott thinks. _I’m so smooth._

The way those eyes light up and the smile that breaks out, an open smile that hides nothing, makes Eliott’s heartbeat faster. 

“A-ah...I’m supposed to be meeting someone at 5…” So much disappointment in one sentence. 

“Yeah, me. “ Eliott registers the myriad of emotions that pass across the face and he hopes he hasn’t messed up. 

“Wait!? _You’re_ the one Emma sent?” 

“Eliott, nice to meet you.”

“L-Lucas”

“Are you disappointed?” Eliott catches the flash in those blue eyes, and maybe he did make a mistake. Maybe he shouldn’t have sabotaged Alex and just let him handle this situation. 

But Lucas shakes his head, rapidly. “No, no. It’s not that. I didn’t know, she knew someone so handsome.” 

Judging by the way Lucas brings his hand slaps his own mouth, or how his eyes grow wide, or how his blush travels up his ears, he did not mean to say that out loud. 

But Eliott plays it cool. He simply smiles. 

“Wait a minute…” Lucas squints his eyes. “What does Emma have on you?” 

Eliott shrugs. “Something, something. Vacuum cleaner.” At Lucas’ confused look, Eliott chuckles. “How bout we clean this up, grab a coffee and maybe I’ll tell you.” 

Eliott might be digging himself a hole. He might be getting in to deep and this plan will backfire and he will regret everything that he is choosing to do right at this moment. But seeing that smile up close, looking into the soft blue eyes. He knows he is making the right choice. 

____

Sofiane jumps from his position on the couch as the apartment door slams open and Alex rushes in, frantic and panting. 

Idriss cracks an eye having been woken up from his nap. 

“Guys! Help me look for my keys!” 

Sofiane furrows his brows. He looks down at his phone. 5:15

“Hey aren’t you supposed to be meeting with Lucas right now?”

Alex lets out an exasperated cry. “Yes, Sofiane, I am. But I left the keys to the lab somewhere in this apartment and I have yet to turn in my work so that is my focus right now.” Alex stuffs his hands into the couch cushion after pushing Idriss off roughly. The other boy grunts at the rough handling. 

“After I find it, turn it in, because it’s _late_. I’ll go to the cafe and if he is still waiting. I’ll apologize. But can you please help me look for them first.” Alex rushes into his room searching. 

Something doesn’t feel right, like he is missing something. Sofiane replays the last hour and a half trying to pinpoint the missing piece. When it clicks, his eyes go wide for a moment and he casually walks into the kitchen. 

When Alex comes out of his room, panic still a permanent fixture on his face Sofiane holds up his keys and casually tosses them to him. 

“Shit man, thanks! Where were they?” 

“No problem, dude. On the counter in the kitchen.” Alex closes his eyes and lets out a sigh of relief. He is out of the door in seconds and Sofiane wonders if he should have told him he found them in the cookie jar. He doesn’t think Alex needs to know that little bit of detail. 

He takes out his phone and shoots a text off. 

**Sofiane**  
_I hope you know what_  
_you're doing Alex is gonna be_  
_pissed if he finds out what you_  
_did_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So writing _Stacking Thoughts_ and one shots like, _How the Heart Stutters_ or the other two I have planned is very exhausting because my boys are so different in all of them.... It's strange. But I enjoy it so much. I think this fic will be a couple of chapters long. 
> 
> I've got three more one shots in the works. I don't know why but when it comes to these two, I have an infinite pool of plots running through my head. Save me. As always I absolutely love comments and it makes my day brighter. So please, be my sun!
> 
> Excuse my mistakes.


	3. In the Evening Light, You Are Beautiful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliott turns on the charm. He's wooing our boy Lucas.

“Are you needed somewhere?” 

Eliott turns the screen off on his phone and puts it in his pocket. He smiles at Lucas who looks over at him,-- concern written into the lines of his forehead-- then takes a small sip from his coffee cup. 

“Hm? No, it was nothing.” Eliott does his best to reassure Lucas. “Sorry about that, where were we?” Eliott walks a little closer so there is the barest hint of the brushing of arms. Lucas stands at least a head shorter than Eliott and he can’t help but think how perfect they must look, walking next to each other to the outsider looking in. 

They're both quiet for a bit making their way towards the bus stop, walking with a leisurely stride. The sun hasn't quite sunk beneath the horizon, its slow path bathe the both of them in a deep orange glow. Despite the lateness of the day, they both hold cups of steaming coffee in their hands. 

Truth being, Eliott couldn't risk staying in the cafe in case Alex decided to show up fashionably late. . So he buys Lucas a mocha latte, yes he ends up paying but he doesn’t care because when Lucas looks up with his blue eyes, bright with wonder and tells him he doesn’t have his wallet on him, Eliott...Eliott caves before the words are even fully out of his mouth. 

“My mama. We were talking about how best to approach her with…” Lucas uses his fingers to gestures between the two of them. “ _...Us._ ”

Inner Eliott gushes at the word ‘us’. “Right, so your mother.”

“ _Mama,_ ” Lucas corrects, his lips smacking together. “Don’t call her mother” His nose crinkles in distaste. “She’d hate it. Makes her sound old.”

“So _mama_ Lallemant, is a little overbearing and wants to meet your boyfriend so she can pester us to have children?”

“Well when you put it that way…” Lucas trails off with a chuckle. 

For a moment, with the sun setting and only a few students milling around, Eliott believes he has all the strength of a thousand men so he finds the courage to reach down and grasp Lucas’ hands. Casually. 

Yet he almost caves at the weight and warmth of them. 

“Here follow me.” He pulls Lucas along, ignoring the quiet _‘Wait! My coffee’_. 

Eliott leads the shorter one to the commons, finds a spot against the side of a small swell of grass. He lets go of Lucas’ hand and flops down on his side. When he looks up at Lucas, there is hesitation in the baby blues that stare down at him.

Eliott uses his free hand to pat the grass next to him. “C’mon. It’s comfy.” Lucas rolls his eyes but makes a move to sit down next to Eliott. More than an arms length away. Eliott rectifies this. 

He leans over and wraps a long arm around Lucas’ waist, making the boy jump, and forcefully pulls him closer so that Eliott is flushed against his side. 

“What?! What are you doing, if you get grass stains on these jeans--”

Eliott looks up through his lashes at Lucas, their eyes locking. “I’ll do your laundry.” 

And he meant. Every. Word. Eliott didn’t realize just how much he wanted that to be what filled his days. Lucas blushes but looks away, and Eliott can’t help but grin at how he appears speechless. 

Eliott doesn’t move his arm, although the position is slightly uncomfortable. 

“So your mother...is it like this crazy--”

“She’s not crazy.” Lucas’ voice is sharp and Eliott back tracks. 

“No, no not what I meant. I mean like does she have this crazy urge to marry you off or somethin’?” He lets his fingers play with the hem of Lucas’ shirt aware that Lucas was watching him do so intently. 

Eliott waits and watches as Lucas takes a sip of his coffee before he visible deflates. Lucas puts his coffee cup down a little way from them and turns a bit, straightens out his legs so he can lie on his stomach. Eliott mourns the loss of warmth that was against his arm. 

A pointed chin rests on folded arms. “Truth is she just wants her baby to be happy.” Eliott allows his eyes to rake over the length of the shorter boys body, he smirks when he sees a small green grass stain on the curve of Lucas’ ass. When his eyes jump back to Lucas’ face, blue eyes are intently staring at him. He sees a blush dusting the high cheeks. 

Lucas blushing might be his favorite sight so far. He thinks about how he wants to spend his time finding out all the possible expressions Lucas is capable of. 

Eliott shifts a little. He slides down the grass, still on his side but now they are face to face. He rests his head in the crook of his own arm and simply stares. Lucas’ face is bathed in the evening shadows, their sun having disappeared minutes ago. Eliott leans a little closer his voice only slightly above a whisper. 

“Well, who are we, to disappoint mama Lallemant.” 

Lucas smiles up at him. “You think this will really work?” 

Maybe it’s their closeness, maybe it’s the fact that stars are about to twinkle into existence but Lucas sounds so soft, sounds like he is placing all of his trust in Eliott. 

“I think,” Eliott brings a hand up to allow himself the pleasure of playing with the brown locks that have been begging for his touch since the night began. “When I’m done…” His fingers dance down the length of Lucas’ necks and he eats up the little shiver he feels from the other boy. His mouth moves closer until he’s whispering into Lucas’ ears. “Mama Lallemant will have no reason to doubt…” When his lips move, he brushes against the shell of Lucas’ ears. He hears the other boy gasp softly. “That we are _meant_ to be together.” 

Eliott says fuck it and leans in and kisses the top of Lucas’ head gently. He breathes in deeply and inhales the unique scent that is Lucas. Of course, rationally, he knows it’s probably just a _Dove_ product that he is smelling but his mind convinces him otherwise. He pulls away and his hand ruffles his hair so the ends stick up anywhere and everywhere. 

“So don’t worry.”

All he needed was for Lucas to act like he was just as much in love with him as Eliott was with Lucas. Eliott thinks he can do this. 

He has three weeks. 

“...okay” 

Eliott’s heart leaps. He’s not ready for the night to end. So he doesn’t let it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short short _shooorrrrt_ Chapter. Because I had to end it there for reasssonnnns. Next chapter will be longer. Is already planned in my head. 
> 
> Sorry not sorry?
> 
> Next Chapter: meeting Mama Lallemant. Shenanigans ensue. 
> 
> Can I say thank you to all of you who've already left messages for me to read?
> 
> Not to much humor in this chapter. Just fluffs. and Stuffs. I needed fluff. SO this was a selfish chapter. 
> 
> Soft boys. I love em. AS always, Kudo's are nice, thank you, comments keep me moving like a well oiled machine. I love you all.


	4. Settle Down With Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas thinks, for the first time, that he might be in too deep. That he might not be able to pull away two weeks from now when Eliott was supposed to break it off and he was to convince his mother of his fake heart break. Except he thinks...it won’t be fake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY FUCK. I'm sorry for the lateness of this. How long has it been? I swear I've been trying to write this. I found that once I stopped trying it came back quickly. Here's my sorry attempt at humor. Enjoy.

“What are you doing?” 

Lucas curls in on himself doing his best to ignore the question. 

“Lucas, get your ass up. It’s 5 and you look like you’re still in sweats.” 

Lucas bites his lips and squeezes his eyes closed, tighter. AS if the pressure would magically make everything go _away._

“Do I need to go over there and strip you myself?”

“Yannn, leave me alone. What do you want me to do?”

He sits up in bed and throws a glare over his shoulder at the other boy. Yann stands with his arms crossed over his chest, expression exasperated. Lucas can’t deal so he lays back down. 

“I want you to get dressed. You can’t exactly elicit help and then flop yourself on the bed because you have a mental crisis happening inside your head." 

And Yann was right. He’s freaking out because he’s bringing Eliott home to meet his mother today for dinner. His heart races at the thought and he is not quite sure why but he dreads the idea of picking out the perfect outfit. Even though it’s just his mother, even though his boyfriend is fake and he has no one to really impress.

“He’s got a point there Lulu. Can’t ask us to come over and then lie in bed huffing and puffing like the world is ending.” Lucas glares at Arthur, who sits crossed legged on his bedroom floor. His smile shines and all Lucas wants to do is rip it off his pretty little face. 

“Here, since Lucas is too busy being melodramatic why don’t we choose his outfit for him and he can deal and just go in that.”

“Deal.”

“Deal.”

“Deal.”

“No deal you fuckers. I'm trying to look hot and presentable not like a fucking clown." When he turns he sees Basile holding up his purple-ish sweater and Lucas tilts his head not too opposed to the idea of wearing it, knowing it makes his eyes pop just right. When Arthur pokes his head out of the closet carrying his assless leather chaps ( a gift forced upon him during a christmas party two years earlier) Lucas pulls his lips back into a snarl. 

_“See!”_ He looks at Yann for backup. Eyes darting to Basile who bites his lips, holding back laughter. “Clown Material!”

“Mm Lucas, I think you mean easy access material.” Arthur purses his lips biting back his own laughter. The taller blonde holds it for two seconds before cracking. His laughter shakes his body and he curled in on himself as Yann and Basile joins, both collapsing to the floor. 

Lucas glares at the three of them. Arthur straightens from his position on the floor tugging the sweater from Basile’s loosened grip. He holds the garment over his own chest and torso, smile in place. 

“Top part says propose to me and,” he holds the leather pants up against his legs, “bottom half says bend me over the kitchen table and fuck me in front of my mama.” 

The statement causes Yann and Basile to howl Basile grips at his side gasping for air as Yann wipes at his eyes.

Lucas tosses a pillow from his bed straight at his blonde friend only succeeding at setting off another round of laughter as he misses. He has to restrain himself from launching himself bodily at the three of them. He feels the hate for his friends simmer inside beneath the surface of his skin. Lucas slinks off the bed to pick up the pillow when Yann turns back to bury his head in the closet. 

“I don’t know about you guys but I’m going to check to see if there’s someone who can take this seriously.” Lucas ignores the _‘we take you seriously Lucas’_ and ‘I was serious Lucas, you have a nice ass!’. 

Lucas turns and dives on his bed bouncing once before reaching for the phone plugged and resting on his nightstand. He quickly opens up his messages and finds Emma’s contacts. His fingers make quick work typing out his message.

> **Lucas**  
>  _Emma...I need help. I don’t know what to wear._  
>  _ANd I’m bringing him to meet mama_  
>  _tonight. what do I do,I’m freakin out!_

Lucas presses send and puts the phone down. He closes his eyes and huffs. He is actually anxious for this dinner. For some reason he wants it to go well, more than _well_. He wants it to be perfect. He wants his mother to love Eliott. Lucas can’t pinpoint why but each time the thought of the other boy flits through his thoughts his heart beats a bit faster. He has a stupid smile that he can’t and doesn’t want to erase.

“What about this?”

Lucas looks over his shoulders at Yann who has a white shirt and white skinnies in his grasp. His shoulders are upturned and eyes wide. Lucas wants to kiss him because he is trying and he is so thankful. 

“I don’t know. Let’s ask Emma if she responds in time.”

“Okay, okay, fair enough. She knows Eliott best so she’d probably know what makes him all hot and bothered.”

Lucas grimaces, still upset by the fact that Eliott and Emma have probably done the dirty. He can’t explain why the thought bothers him so much but it does. The phone on his bed buzzes and Lucas is quick to grab for it.

> **Emma**  
>  _Just chill for a hot sec. I’m bringing the girls over_  
>  _That cool?_
> 
> **Lucas**  
>  _Sure_

“Emma’s bringing the girls over.” He calls over his shoulders to the boys.

“Is Daphne coming?” Basile jumps on the bed, his voice eager. LUcas can’t help but smile at the puppy like smile on his friends face. He flops onto his back still holding his pillow to his chest and nods his head. 

“Mm. She said she was bringing the girls. So I imagine that means Daphne too.” Basile pumps his fist in the air excited. The quiet _‘fuck yeah’_ that escapes him causes the other three to grin. 

“Lulu how about this one?” 

Lucas scrunches his nose in disdain. He spends the next fifteen minutes vetoing the choices that Yann and Arthur make as he waits patiently for Emma to arrive. When he does finally hear the knock on the door, Lucas jumps up in his bed. He has exactly an hour and a half before he needs to head home and help prepare dinner so he scrambles to the door.

Relief colors him pretty as he ushers the girls in. 

"Where's the fire?" Emma stalks into the room, a smile on her face. 

"I don't know what to wear and the boys aren't helping." Lucas explains, exasperation his current default mode. 

Arthur and Yann leave his room carrying a pile of clothing as Basile dashes out and runs up to Daphne, to greet her. She extends an arm, holding him back, without giving him as much as a glance. 

"We resent that statement, Lucas. You're just being picky." 

"Yes, well…I'm trying to look impressive Arthur, not like a whore." He holds up the leather pants for them to see. "See what I'm working with? I think he’d run away if I showed up in this.” 

Emma nods her head back and forth. “Knowing him, yes. He would. We can’t forget he’s straight.” 

The statement causes pause in Lucas, his shoulders slump just the slightest and his smile looks to be misplaced. Like it doesn’t belong on his face. 

“Right. Well, you know him so what would he like to see me in?” Lucas does his best but fails at masking the dejection he feels. 

“Hey chin up. He is straight but he appreciates beauty, Lulu.” Emma grins at him. “And you’ve got plenty of it.” Emma looks around the room and her eyes land on Yann who holds up his choice of a white v neck and white skinny jeans. 

She shakes her head. Brows moving every which way marking her distaste. She scrunches her nose and Lucas smiles at her over reaction. Very in line with his. “He’s not a whore and virgin is a far cry as well. What do you say girls?” 

Emma turns to Manon and Alexia who stand off to the side nodding their heads. Daphne’s attention is taken up by Basile, she’s doing her best to ignore him but the way she bites at her bottom lip to hide a smile speaks volumes. 

“What about those black jeans you like so much, the ones that really lift your ass.” Lucas smiles over at Alexia as she grabs at the air in front of her, fingers pulsing to emphasize her words. 

He dives into his closet and pulls out his jeans. He doesn’t shy away from stripping down to his boxers and pulling them on. He hops up and down to force his legs in. 

“Oh, and the purple sweater. Put that one on.” Basile says, excitement tinting his voice. He punctuates the air with his flailing arms. Lucas shrugs and throws it on. 

He loves this sweater. 

Emma whistles lowly, eyes growing wide. “The wonders that sweater does for you eyes. But it looks formal. Do you have a shirt that color?” Lucas huffs and shakes his head. 

“Wait!” Their eyes swivel to Manon who stands pointing at herself. “Yeah?” The shirt she wears is a short sleeved v neck and a slightly lighter purple. Emma nods excitedly gesturing for the other girl to take it off. Lucas doesn’t know what to feel about wearing Manon’s clothing but they’re practically the same size. 

“Shouldn’t you go into the room Manon? These boys are like piranhas, out for blood.” Imane drawls and glares at Arthur and Yann who avert their eyes at the statement. 

“Relax, I’ve got a tank on.” She hands over the slightly wrinkled shirt and when Lucas throws it on he is slightly relieved to feel the tightness of it. The scent that fills his nostrils is light and not overbearing. Like sandalwood. He likes it. When he looks up everyone is smiling. He feels confident that he was going to knock Eliott’s socks off. Straight or not. 

“Yeah?” He waits for the thumbs up from everyone. 

“Hell, you might just make him gay.” Emma wiggles her eyebrows. Lucas grinned at her, knowing she’s joking but he appreciates the confidence boost. 

“I should get going. Get there before he does you know.” He leaves the flat to a chorus of _‘good luck’ and ‘have fun’_ and he flips Basile off when the boy shouts for him to ‘use condoms’. 

Lucas arrives before Eliott, entering the house while calling out a greeting. He keeps his phone on ring in case Eliott gets lost on his way over. 

“Oh Lucas dear, help me won’t you?” Lucas follows his mama’s voice into the kitchen. He finds pots and pans decorating the counter top, aromas filling the air making it thick. 

“Well don’t you look handsome today?” She directs the compliment towards him as she moves around, spooning food onto plates and into bowls. 

Lucas smiles and chuckles at her. “No more than I always do mama.” He stops her quick enough to drop a kiss on her cheek. “How are you doing?” What do you need help with is his question.He doesn’t want to admit it but he is nervous. When his phone beeps, Lucas checks it and his heart beats a bit faster.

> **Eliott**  
>  _5 mins away, see you_  
>  _soon beautiful😘🧡_

The little heart and winking face makes Lucas bite at his lips to hold back a smile. Straight. He needs to remember this.

“Eliott will be here in 5 minutes.” Lucas laughs when his mother turns around panic written into the lines of her forehead. 

“What? Why so early, I’ve not even started on desert. Lucas!” She looks imploringly at him. 

He steps closer to her, hands running up and down her arm soothingly. “Mama, it’s fine. You can make him work a bit for the food you know.” He stares into her eyes and chuckles when she lets out strangled sound at the suggestion. 

“If you think for a second I’d let a guest lift a--”

“He’s not a guest mama, he’s my boyfriend.” The word rolls off his tongue like a truth dipped in honey. Sweet, sappy, and thick. Hard to get out without stumbling over the word. He feels her shoulders sag and she sighs. He hears the beep again. 

“That’s probably him. I should meet him at the door. And mama,” he waits until she meets his eyes. “Relax.” He kisses her again on the cheek, a gentle brush of his lips to tell her _‘you’re perfect. Nothing less.’_

And he eats up her soft smile. A genuine one that she doesn’t show too often.

Lucas thinks he should take his own advice. When he opens the door,he doesn’t know what to expect but he sees Eliott standing looking casual in a black v neck and a pair of blue jeans that hug him just right. One hand is running through his own hair, eyes glued to the screen of the phone that rests in his grip. 

“Hey.” Lucas calls out voice clear and steady, surprising even himself. The door stays open behind him. When Eliott looks up from his phone, a smile on his face, Lucas feels his confidence begins to waver under the brilliance of Eliott’s smile. 

“Hey.” His quick strides take him past the rose bushes, across the small stretch of lawn and up the porch stairs in a matter of seconds. Eliott doesn’t waste a second before he engulfs Lucas in a hug, long arms easily wrapping around the narrow shoulders. 

Lucas finds it hard to fight back the blush that heats his cheeks. 

“You look beautiful.” Lucas is sure he turns the shade of his shirt at the smooth voice, Eliott’s comment falling off his tongue with ease. A finger tips his head back until their eyes meet. “The color, it really brings out your eyes.” 

Lucas inwardly melts at the smile Eliott shoots him. Physically, he shakes his head, loosening Eliott’s grip and stepping away quickly to put distance between them. 

“A-ah. Thanks. Mama’s inside. She’s a little nervous. Will you help out with setting the plates?” 

Eliott beams at him, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Of course, lead the way.” Lucas let’s a small smile slip at the sight of the other boy. He doesn’t say anything and retreats back into the house, leaving the door open for Eliott to close behind him. 

When they make it to the kitchen he chuckles at the sight of his mother, rushing around to make sure everything was in place, yet succeeding in doing nothing in her haste. 

“Mama…” 

Lucas eyes her warily as she pauses, fingers moving to fix a blonde strand of hair gone awry. She blinks owlish at the both of them until Eliott steps forward. 

Lucs looks back and forth between his mother and Eliott an unsure smile resting on his lips. 

“It’s so nice to finally meet you Ms….”

“Oh please call me Mama Lallemant. All of Lucas’ friends do.” He can’t stop happiness that builds inside him at his mama’s smile. 

Eliott looks like he is going to burst, his laughter lines deepening so impossibly that Lucas craves to be the reason they show up on his face. 

“Mama Lallemant, then. Can I help with something?” Lucas gives his mother an encouraging, if not demanding nod from behind Eliott, and he watches her shoulders sag slightly. 

“Well, I’ve had a bit of trouble with plating everything on time. Would you mind mashing the sweet potatoes and then putting them here?” She hands Eliott a glass baking dish and points to the steaming pile that was drained by the sink. 

“Not at all.” And as if with practiced ease, Eliott gets to work a pep in his step and enthusiasm in his motion. As if he this was what he had always wanted to do with his evenings. Standing around mashing sweet potatoes in Lucas’ kitchen. 

Lucas grabs the pot of rice and spoons it into the serving bowl without being asked. He can hear the two of them whispering quietly. His mama asking about Eliott’s study. His interests and his dislikes. 

She gets to know him at a relaxed pace, her previous haste dissipating. She never asks about the two of them. And instead jokes and learns who Eliott is as an individual. Who he stands as without Lucas by his side. She wants to know if he is capable of standing without her son, so when time ever comes to it, he would be able to hold his weight. 

Lucas thanks her silently for her love and buries the slight bout of guilt that travels the course of his veins. 

“Ah so you’re an artist?”

“Something like that. I render people in their animal form.”

“Is that so? And what of my baby, how do you see him?” 

There’s a pause of clinking and Lucas looks up connecting gazes with Eliott. 

“Hm. A hedgehog. The cutest baby hedgehog.” Lucas scowls at him as he feels that familiar heat on his face. His mama laughs, full-bodied and doubled over.

“He looks like an angry hedgehog as of right now.” Lucas huffs and turns from the two of them. He can’t help but feel a happiness settle when he hears that laughter. He rolls his eyes, lips twitching. 

“I’m going up stairs to freshen up.” Lucas excuses himself and leaves the kitchen, his pace on the stairs slow. He does his best to crane his neck and open his ears to listen but their words are soft and garbled by the distance. 

He hears his mother laugh again and smiles. He has nothing to worry about. So he bounds up the stairs leaves the both of them in good hands. 

He checks himself in the mirror to ensure he is still handsome. He carefully grooms his reflection, eyes flickering up and down and side to side, mentally picking for a flaw. He hums in satisfaction when he finds none. He still looked fuckable. 

Lucas uses a finger to toy with a strand of hair, twirling it gently in his hold before moving back in place. A hedgehog. He can live with that. Eliott’s hedgehog. He can definitely live with that. 

When he’s done he closes the door gently and tiptoes his way down trying his best to catch the end of their conversation. He peeks in and sees how Eliott is smiling and toying with his phone before stuffing back in his pocket. 

“Alright saved.” 

Lucas’ brows furrow, wondering what he missed. He slinks back away from the door and back towards the stairs, frowning. He doesn’t want the two to think he was eavesdropping even if that was what he was doing, with no plausible deniability.

What did he miss?

Lucas is about to head back towards the kitchen when Eliott appears by the entrance. His stormy eyes, a mixture of blue and grey, light up when they land on Lucas standing at the base of the stairs. 

“Was about to go find you, you’ve been gone for a while.” Eliott rubs the back of his head with one hand, head tilted and smile sly. “Thought you scooted out and planned me to leave me and mama Lallemant to eat all the food by ourselves.” 

Lucas thinks that’s silly. So silly. The thought had crossed his mind. But he wasn’t stupid enough to go through with it. He thought, maybe, before he did. Before he met Eliott and before he knew who was going to play the role of his fake boyfriend. Maybe then he would have loved to invite this imaginary boyfriend over to have dinner with his mama while Lucas would excuse himself to go the bathroom and never come back. 

But Eliott isn’t imaginary. He was real and he was doing a damn fine job of winning over his mother. And he didn’t even have to try to get Lucas to fall so effortlessly. Didn’t have to lift a finger to make Lucas weak at the knees, for his legs to feel like jelly. 

“Mm. Well, I’m sure you would’ve made it out fine. My mama’s a great cook.” 

Eliott steps closer. That smile still on his face. A glint, where his impossible eyes catches the light, appears and Lucas shivers at the sight of it. 

“I’m sure, but it wouldn’t be the same without you.” Eliott stands close. Close enough to where the tips of their toes brush against each other. Where the taller boy shifts his weight slightly and their hips are practically attached and touching.

Lucas finds himself short of breath. Panting. If his mind was clear and Eliott wasn’t standing so close, he is sure he would be angry at how Eliott stands in his personal space. Currently he can’t think up his next words. He has the urge to grab the other harshly and crush his lips against Eliott’s. 

Eliott brings up a hand, brushing Lucas’ flushed cheeks gently with his knuckles and smiles that show stopping smile. “I should probably go get cleaned up before dinner.” He makes a move to walk up the stairs but Lucas stops him, voice desperate and coarse.. 

Eliott’s eyes go wide at the tug. 

 

“Wait, wait, wait…” Lucas grabs at the collar of Eliott’s shirt, the material bunched between his fingers tightly. When he pulls, Lucas’ eyes roam the exposed collar bone, his mouth drops open at the sight.

“Mama...s-she,” he clears his throat. “It might be good if s-she walks in and sees us like this.” Lucas blushes through it all as the words spew from his mouth, uninvited to the party. He’s not sure where they’re coming from but he pushes through, regardless. He does his best to play it off. Like this would simply be another part to their make-believe story. 

His eyes dart up quickly before coming back down to rest on the length of Eliott’s neck. The rapidly jumping pulse keeps his attention until he feels the curls of fingers on his chin lift his gaze back up. 

For a brief moment in time Lucas feels as if his heart might burst. The Earth stops spinning and Lucas loses his bearing. He suffers the whiplash seemingly alone with his breath leaving him forcefully. But Lucas can’t pay attention to something so simple as that when he has to focus his eyes on watching Eliott’s curved lips descend. 

Blue-grey eyes flickering with amusement and a sight of what Lucas might, in his wildest dreams and dazed state, label as ‘desire’.

Eliott stops moving when he gets close. Lips hovering mere centimeters away from Lucas’. Lucas feels his brain malfunction, it short-circuits, stops working as his world narrows down to the small puffs of air they share. A heat and moisture that Lucas is sure will drive him crazy.The thought crosses his mind that Eliott is being greedy, that he was stealing his breath away. He forgets it is his fingers that holds the other in place. 

“Are you suggesting we make out here, where _mama Lallemant_ can just walk in and see everything?” His voice a low whisper and Lucas can practically taste each syllable as it slips out. 

“I didn’t say that, to be precise.” He denies with his words as his head nods his confirmation. Lids growing heavy as he boldly closed the distance between them. 

A slight pressure at first. Enough to set his lips on fire. He lets those long fingers travel the length of his chin to cup at his face. Lucas feels himself being drawn in deeper, until he’s lost to his surroundings. Eliott guides him as they map each other out. A slow pace until the slow is left behind and it is all rough hands and jerky movements with Eliott pushing him against the wall. Lucas ignores the way the railing digs into his lower back. That feeling being the least of his worries. 

He whimpers at the delicious weight against his lips. His hands find purchase, one on a study shoulder as he grips hard loving the way the skin molds to his touch, the other tangled at the base of Eliott’s neck the wisps of hair tickling him gently. 

Lucas opens up, legs parting as Eliott presses forward, closer, he’s half a hairs width away from hopping up and wrapping his jean clad legs around Eliott’s hips wanting to direct the taller boy in carrying him up the stairs and towards his old childhood bed. A wanton desire to shed his clothing and Eliott’s to deliciously defile said bed.

The harsh clearing of a throat forces both of them apart. Lucas’ chest heaving and eyes closed. He runs his tongue along his lips mopping up the moisture and he swallows harshly. When he opens his eyes Lucas smiles at the sight of Eliott undone. HIs cheeks flushed, lips plump and a lush red. 

He did that. He put that face there. Lucas doesn’t bother trying to contain the smugness that blooms in the pit of his stomach. 

He hears a loud cough and Lucas looks over Eliott’s shoulders, blushing when he sees his mama’s averted eyes and red cheeks. 

There’s a smile on her face. 

“ D-dinner’s ready boys!” She calls from the kitchen. An act of pretend that she fails miserably at delivering. 

“C’mon. We should head in.” Eliott reaches down and laces his fingers with Lucas. He turns and walks the both of them towards the kitchen with a confidence that makes Lucas feel out of place. As if this wasn’t his home. His blue eyes dart down to where they are connected. Where Eliott, the straight guy, held him gently, hands squeezing in a comfort that shouldn’t feel so natural. 

Lucas continues walking but his head turns to look at the spot where they just stood. Where Eliott, straight guy that he was, had him pressed up against the wall, railing be damned. Where he experienced a kiss so wild, so full that his vision swarmed and his blood pumped. Where he felt the odd rush of what he wanted to call love fill him to brim until it spilled over through his fingertips where he painted Eliott with it. 

Lucas thinks, for the first time, that he might be in too deep. That he might not be able to pull away two weeks from now when Eliott was supposed to break it off and he was to convince his mother of his fake heart break. Except he thinks...it won’t be fake. 

He’s guided to his seat and before he needs to ask Eliott is leaning over the table, scoping a large helping of rice onto his mama’s plate, serving her first. 

“Oh my, thank you, there’s no need to serve me first.”

Eliott shakes his head, smile bright. 

“Nonsense, mama Lallemant. You slaved over the stove for us, you should get the first serving.” 

Lucas likes the way his mother smiles when Eliott talks to her. Likes the way her eyes light up, and the way her cheeks grow rosey. They lock eyes for a second and she mouths to him her approval.

Lucas thanks Eliott for filling his plate. He shoves some chicken into his mouth, tender as he chews. It’s quiet at first, the clinking of their forks and spoons on ceramic the only noise before Lucas sees his mama gearing up to ask a question. 

“So Eliott, Lucas tells me very little about his love life. Won’t you tell me how you met?” She cocks a brow at Lucas. A slight panic courses through his veins knowing they haven’t fleshed out the story of their coupling.

But Eliott smiles over at him. A confidence that shouldn’t have been there. 

“Lucas probably doesn’t remember but I met him on my first day of school a couple of years ago. I’d just transferred and I was lost. We bumped into each other and I don’t think he saw me but I saw him.” Eliott’s smile soften as he gets lost in a memory that Lucas can’t recall to save his life. Perhaps Eliott was better at lying than he initially thought. Maybe, this never happened and Eliott was good at thinking on his feet. But something in the wistful way Eliott stares at nothing with the smallest smile on his face makes Lucas think otherwise.

When Eliott looks up and their eyes meet Lucas can’t help but look away, feeling an embarrassment that was worse than having his mother sees him making out with the other boy. “I saw only him.” 

Eliott picks up his pace at eating, breaking from his trance. “But officially we met when Lucas tripped and spilled a pile of paper. I was there to help and he bought me coffee as compensation.” 

Lucas watches his mother from beneath his lashes trying to catch her every reaction. 

“Well I can see you both care for each other dearly.” She takes a sip of her wine, eyes kind as she bounces her gaze between the two of them. 

Lucas lets the two of them talk as he sits back. He can get used to this. 

*****

Yann takes a swig of his beer, eyes glued to the screen of his phone. He waits for an update from Lucas and while waiting, patiently scrolls through his instagram feed. He snaps a picture of himself and his bottle. Captions it and posts it. 

“Take one with me Yann.” Yann turns towards Emma and smiles at the girl. He gestures his chin for her to come closer. 

When she’s close, Yann throws his arm around her shoulders. Casual. He takes her phone from her and holds it in his hands, arms out reached. 

“Here let me take it, my arms are longer.” He leans close and with practiced precision, snaps a photo. 

“Shit. I look hot.” Yann smiles at her confidence and nods to show she is not wrong. 

“Yeah. You do.” Yann eats up her blush.

He feels his phone buzz and thinks for a second that it’s Lucas. He’s surprised to see that Alex texts him. He taps out a response quickly and presses send. 

“Was that Lucas?” 

Yann shakes his head. 

“Nah, the boys wanted to come over and hang. I told Alex he could bring Sofiane and Idriss.”

Yann watches Emma nod her head to what he says, eyes glued to her phone before she pauses, mouth dropping open and brows furrowing. 

“Wait...who did you say was coming over?”

“Idriss, Sofiane, and Alex. Why?”

“When are they coming over, Yann?” Yann watches her closely, confusion coloring his face. 

“What does it matter?”

“Is Lucas done with his dinner?”

Yann shakes his head, his eyes narrowing anger sparking in him at how obtuse she’s being. 

“How on earth did we get back to Lucas?”

“Yann,” Emma stands a bit straighter. Shoulders squaring as a panic settles nicely in her tone. She stepped closer to him, hands gripping his shoulders.

“Alex is supposed to be at dinner with Lucas and his mom right now? Why is he texting you about coming over with the boys?” Yann’s eyes grow wide, his mouth drops at the news. 

“Emma...Lucas is having dinner with Eliott. He...he told us you set up the meeting?” 

For a brief moment their world stops and Yann can hear Emma’s internal screaming. He is right there with her. With morbid fascination, Yann watches that panic morph into an unadulterated anger. 

“I’m going to kill him. I’m going to fucking kill him. Why the fuck is Eliott having dinner with Lucas and not Alex?” Her screaming cause the others to storm the kitchen, concern evident on their face.

“What’s going on here?”

“I don’t even know Eliott like that.”

“Wait What?”

“What?”

_“What?”_

“Stop asking _what_ and someone please just fucking text Lucas to make sure everything is okay. Yann you make sure Alex gets his ass over here quickly or so help him god, I will make sure all the photos I have are blown up to life sized proportions and posted around campus. He’ll wish I just fucking killed him once I’m through with him.”

Yann bits his inner cheek. He doesn’t want to admit it but he finds Emma breathtaking when she’s threatening death upon another person. He is infinitely glad it is not directed at him. 

Now. For his boy Lucas. Yann sighs. How does he always manage to get caught up in shitstorms such as this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to my dedicated mecs, EmmaJJ and Amy because y'all made me feel bad about not updating!!! In the _good_ kind of way.  
> Honestly though. I love when you all leve those comments, weeks after telling me you've been patiently and not patiently waiting for me to get my head out of my ass. I love you guys. Thanks. 
> 
> Hope there's not too many mistakes?


	5. How effortless of you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If left to carry out this plan without intervention Eliott would, too successfully and with devastating results, make both Lucas and his mama fall in love with his charm. He was too perfect. To a fault. 
> 
> Lucas couldn’t have that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So not much in this chapter. 
> 
> Short I'm sorry.

Lucas feels his phone vibrate before he hears the familiar notification. Before he can even open the messages his phone buzzes again and the notifications come one after the other in rapid fire. His brows furrowed and his lips dip.

> **Bas**  
>  _Gettttt Out Nooow_
> 
> **Yann**  
>  _Shut up Bas_
> 
> **Arthur**  
>  _Are you trying to scare him_
> 
> **Bas**  
>  _He’s a serial killer YOu’re FuuuccKd_

Lucas’ glares at the series of texts popping up one by one on the little screen of his phone. He contemplates letting the story play out without his input but he’s curious. His blue gaze wanders towards his mother who is laughing at something Eliott said. Then towards the bright smile locked in place on the dusty rose lips.

Lucas frowns and it catches Eliott's attention. 

"What's wrong?"

His mother looks over, laughter dying down and delicate fingers wiping away at the tears that gathered at the corners of her eyes. 

"Everything okay, baby?"

His phone rings again and Lucas eyes shift from the offending hunk of metal in his hands to his mother’s face crumpled in concern to Eliott’s curious look. 

Lucas shakes his head and smiles reassuringly at the both of them. 

“Mm, everything’s fine. I think Bas is having a melt down. Can I grab this real quick? I’ll be right back.” The phone dings and vibrates another three or four times before he successfully stands up and avoids the questions in their eyes. 

Lucas uses the privacy of his bedroom to handle the call. He peers at the messages again and feels dread eat away at his insides. 

> **Yann**  
>  _Are you trying to scare him?!?_
> 
> **Arthur**  
>  _Maybe this should be done face to face?_
> 
> **Bas**  
>  _I’m trying to look out for my boy!  
>  You guys don’t think this is weird?_
> 
> **Yann**  
>  _Of course!  
>  But Serial Killer? Seriously?_
> 
> **Lucas**  
>  _What the fuck is going on?_

The group chat is silent for a bit before Lucas watches with trepidation as the three blinking dots appear. Someone is preparing to answer him. Most likely Arthur or Yann. He imagines one of the two has already wrestled the phone out of Bas’ hands to prevent him from doing any further damage. 

**Yann**  
_Heyyyyy hows dindin??_

Well. Avoidance tactic detected. Lucas rolls his eyes and hits the call button. He only waits mere seconds before the call is picked up and Yann’s overly casual greeting sets something off inside Lucas. 

_“Lucas. You good? How’s it going?”_

Lucas can hear muffled voices in the background and Arthur’s quiet and rushed _‘shut up Basile’._

__

“Yann, what’s going on?” 

_“So what’s Eliott like? A perfect gentleman?”_ Lucas’ face scrunches when he hears a yelp and the distinctive shout of _‘serial killer!’_

“Can you stop avoiding the question and tell me why Bas seems to think Eliott is a serial killer?”

_“Well you see…”_

__

“Let me talk to Arthur.” Lucas hears Yann sigh before the familiar voice of his blonde friend . 

__

_“Lucas! How’s--”_

__

“What’s going on?”

__

_“Eliott wasn’t the boy Emma set you up on the date with. Her friend Alex was supposed to show up but there was a misunderstanding apparently. Bas thinks Eliott is a serial killer because...well that’s the only logical thing his mind can supply. So…”_ Arthur drags out the ‘o’. _“how’s dinner going?”_

__

Lucas felt his heart stop at the words and he breathes in sharply, holding the air close like a comfort; one he wasn’t really feeling but he refuses to let it go. 

__

Lucas’ mind supplies him with all the worst case scenarios as to why this complete stranger decided to play the role of charming boyfriend and Lucas grimaces at the thought that this was some big joke and he fell for it. 

__

He bought into the energy, the kind smiles, the eyes that said I’m crazy about you. Lucas wants to curse at how stupid he was to not second guess why this straight boy existing in near perfection would want to pretend to be his boyfriend and play family with his mama. 

__

_“...are you okay?”_

__

No. Yes. He doesn’t know. Lucas wants to tell Arthur that he is experiencing heartbreak but he fears he might just be acting a little melodramatic. 

__

But the tightness in his chest and the way his head spins begs to differ. Melodrama was the least of his worries. 

__

“I’ve got to go.” He doesn’t wait for a response before he hangs up. When he enters the house Lucas does his best to school his face, plasters on a smile and sits back down while his mind remains empty and running a mile a minute all at the same time. He isn’t capable of catching and holding onto a thought. 

__

So when he sees Eliott standing next to his mama, elbows deep in suds and washing dishes, Lucas feels an overwhelming sense of sadness and resolve settle in his bones. 

__

Three meetings. One fleeting, one plotting, and one carved from perfection was not enough for Lucas to fall head over heels for this guy. But it was close. 

__

“Everything alright?”

__

“Hm?” He pulls himself out of his musing and notices that his mother is still rinsing while Eliott has turned to brace himself against the counter. Arms still damp and glistening from the soapy water. A frown marred his face and Lucas cursed his want to erase it. 

__

“With Basile? Everything okay?” 

__

Lucas looks away feeling like he was lying to his mom all over again. He rubs a hand once, twice, over his face before he beams at the two of them. 

__

“Oh, right. Yeah, everything’s fine now.” 

__

How to confront the con man. Without breaking his mama’s heart. Lucas ignores the voice that asks how he will do it without breaking his own heart. 

__

\---

__

Alex feels conflicted. 

__

On one hand, Alex hunkers down and accepts the cool chill brought on by the sweat that drenches his clothing. On the other he feels the need to stand tall and proud and pretend that Emma’s glare was not the cause of his profuse sweating. 

__

See, when Alex arrived at the address Yann texted (completely unassuming), he expected to be greeted with a joint, a fist bump, to be handed a beer. He had Idriss chatting boisterously with Sofiane to his side, the two of them tagging along. When the door swung open, a fist gripped tightly at the front of his shirt. 

__

He was able to catch a glimpse of angry green eyes before he was bodily dragged in, his two friends scurrying to enter before the door was slammed shut. 

__

_“What the **fuck** did you do?_” 

__

Alex, in his defense, has no idea what Emma was seething about but he thinks maybe, just maybe if he said something that wasn’t right, Emma would see her threat through and end him in the most painful way possible. 

__

He wants to clearly avoid this route. 

__

He shoots Sofiane and Idriss a look that screams ‘help me!’ and he thanks whatever god that exists for Sofiane’s soft heart. He glares at Idriss who takes in the scene with bright eyes and a wide smile. 

__

“Hey, hey. Chill...what’s going on?” Sofiane is seen placating Emma, hands raised soothingly and as an offer of peace, trying his best to tame her anger. 

__

“That’s what I was hoping Alex could tell me.” Emma speaks through clenched teeth, a fury that has Alex tilting his head. 

__

“I have no idea what you’re on about.” It takes everything in him not to squeak when he talks. 

__

“Who’s Eliott?” 

__

The question comes from Yann. Who gently pries Emma’s clenched fingers off the other boy. 

__

Alex frowns, not expecting the question.

__

“Eliott? What’s he got to do with any of this?”

__

The blonde boy, Arthur, scoffs and fixes his glasses. “Oh, he has everything to do with this.”

__

“Is he a serial killer?” The question throws everyone for a loop before Arthur reaches behind him, shucks the curly haired youth off his shoulders and, very exasperately tells him to fuck off becuase no one was a serial killer. 

__

“Could you take this seriously for one second?” Arthur asks. 

__

“Hey! I take offense to that. I take Lucas’ safety very seriously.” Bas pouts 

__

The voices start to blend together:Alex listens carefully as Emma screeches as him while Idriss and Yann talk to each other a little harsher than usual as the both of them try to get to the bottom of this.

__

Alex notes how a pair of eyes widen as a little more of the story unfolds but no concrete reason is reached. He tries to catch Sofiane’s attention but something in the way the smile breaks out on his boyish face tells Alex that he heard it. Heard the answer in their arguing. 

__

Alex is sure that through the mix of everything he catches the drift, the fake boyfriend, meeting the mother, blackmail and pimping, Sofiane pieces the jumbled puzzle together in a moment of clarity. 

__

He understands the conniving and plotting acts he catches Eliott in. Understands why his friend seemed to be floating on cloud 9 for the past two weeks. 

__

“Wait, wait! I know what’s going on.” The chatter and conversation stops. Alex stops trying to convince Emma that he epically fucked up and he had no idea how Eliott became involved in this scheme. Yann and Idriss’ conversation hangs in limbo as the taller of the two tries his best to defend Eliott Demaury. 

__

Alex and all other eyes turn expectantly on Sofiane who smiles kindly at the mix of them. How could they not see what was going on?

__

“Clearly, Eliott found out about Alex and his plan with Emma and sabotaged him so he could take his place.”

__

“Why on earth would he do that?”

__

Sofiane shrugs. “Could be that he has a massive crush on Lucas and took a chance when he saw one.” Albeit a stupid decision. 

__

Because normal people talk to their crushes. Normal people asked other people on dates and developed relationships. Normal people didn’t try to pretend to be in love when they were actually in love. Sofiane has no defence against Eliott’s inability to approach life decision with the stance of normality. Alex squashed his annoyance because if he couldn’t deny that he thought it was slightly romantic.

__

“I’m gonna kill him.” He whispers to no one in particular. 

__

“So what do you suppose we do now?” 

__

“Has Lucas been informed?” Sofiane asks Yann who shares a guilty look with Arthur. 

__

“Yeah. I spoke with him on the phone.” Arthur worries at his lips. “How do we know Eliott is good for him anyways, don’t you think he should have just asked Lucas out if he liked him?” 

__

“Alright, this coming from the posse who tried to pimp out Alex?” Idriss claims incredulously (Alex silently thanks him for the backup). Long arms sweeping at the group of them in disbelief. “First off, my boy Eliott wouldn’t hurt a fly. Sure, he’s quirky but if he’s plotting this much, I can tell you it’s because he’s dedicated and wants to win over your boy’s heart.”

__

Idriss holds up his hands, eyes dropping to the floor and smile strained. “I say we wash our hands with the situation and let it play out.” 

__

Yann nods his head in agreeance.  
“I second that.”

__

“I third that.”

__

“Oh my god, Bas.” 

__

_“What?”_

__

\---

__

 

__

As the night winds down, Lucas’ tense shoulders loosen just a bit ever since he found out that Eliott was really just playing him for no apparent reason. 

__

They crowd the living room with Lucas and Eliott sitting side by side on the love seat and mama Lallemant curled up in the armchair across from them. Lucas keeps his mouth busy with another gulp of his beer, allowing for the other two to fill the air. He does his best to ignore the fluttering in his chest at the feeling of nimble fingers twirling the strands of hair at the base of his neck. 

__

How Eliott appears so casual in his actions, like he was doing so subconsciously without a second thought pulls at Lucas’ rational side. Pulls at it and tells him, maybe he isn’t trying to fuck you over. 

__

Maybe, just maybe, he really just wanted to help out. Maybe Alex was caught in a predicament and Eliott swooped in to save the day out of the goodness of his heart. Whatever the reason, whatever the cause that dictated Eliott’s actions, Lucas has deemed him far to good at this job. 

__

If left to carry out this plan without intervention Eliott would, too successfully and with devastating results, make both Lucas and his mama fall in love with his charm. He was too perfect. To a fault. 

__

Lucas couldn’t have that. He shivers and his eyes drift closed for a brief second, a content sigh escaping without his permission as the fingers start to gently knead his taut muscles. Lucas pretends he doesn’t see or feel Eliott shift his body so they are sat a little closer than before, or how his head tilts and those wash of grey eyes flicker over the angles of his face. 

__

“You’re so breathtakingly gorgeous.” The compliment is soft, whispered and for a second, Lucas thinks he is the only one that hears it but Eliott’s sturdy voice carries in the small living room and it causes a blush to adorn mama Lallemant’s cheeks. 

__

It matches the hues on Lucas’ own face. He wants to tell Eliott to stop wooing him so effortlessly. Because this is going to be harder than expected. Lucas swallows thickly at the tightness in his chest. 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I...I'm sorry for making you wait? Is anyone even reading my shit anymore? It's cool if you aren't. I think I got into a realllly bad funk and was on the verge of abandoning ship but I talked myself out of it. Totally unfair to those of you who have been waiting patiently. Writing this actually helped because I was able to laugh and be silly. SO mistakes are all mine and there's a shit ton of them. Fuck beta and proofreading. I'll go down with this ship. Leave a friendly comment? Love it? Hate it? About two more chapters planned.


	6. The Truth of Me and You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Night, Lucas." Eliott turns and walks away, leaving Lucas to whisper to no one. 
> 
> "Night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like my writing is getting worse and worse. Nothing happens in this chapter unfortunately but it sets it up for next chapter. Sorry peeps. Leave a comment. Do you like? Do you dislike? 
> 
> But the scene that inspired this fic made an appearance finally haha.
> 
> Please forgive all mistakes.

Lucas learns first hand how dilemmas work. Ever since his little big fucking lie to his mother. Dilemmas have been his best friend. He finds one when he arrives back at the apartment from his date with Eliott. 

He finds his girls and his boys sitting awkwardly in his living waiting around for nothing and everything all at the same time. His dilemma comes in the form of a tall dark skinned and handsome boy dressed with the name Alex. 

Alex is handsome with his boyish good looks, haunting hazel eyes, sexy smirk and athletic build. His first dilemma is how he feels like he is cheating simply by appreciating such simplistic beauty. 

His second dilemma is not knowing how to follow up with the situation at hand. 

Emma presents a convincing scenario that he could easily go for but Lucas wonders if he wants to. 

"So I can slap Eliott, scream at him for cheating and then you can break up with him in front of your mother." 

Lucas thinks of it as an out. He knows he can do it. In two weeks. He could plan an outing, could plan for a moment when all this would happen in front of his mother. His dilemma comes in the form of saying yes or no. Whether he can go through with it or not. 

So Lucas thinks. He thinks of why Eliott, a complete stranger, would choose to pretend to be his boyfriend and whether he should trust this farce of a relationship to begin with. 

He doesn't. 

"And if needed I'll be the rebound, be there in time to pick up the pieces for mama Lallemante to see."

Dilemma number three. Does he allow Alex, the unknown factor to step in. It would mean extending the whole situation. Having a second fake boyfriend and then going through another fake break up but with little to no fanfare like the first. 

Lucas hates dilemmas. 

"To make up for not meeting you in the first place, like I promised Emma."

 _Like I promised Emma._ Lucas remembers that none of this was about him. Neither Alex nor Eliott possibly had his best interest in mind. Lucas wants to pull at his hair and scream because he knows he got himself into this mess and he had no one else to blame because no one told him to be attracted to Eliott. He did this all on his own, thank you very much. 

But he had to make a decision because he can hear Yann and his buddy Idriss, who he vaguely remembers is Imane’s older brother, harshly whispering back and forth. He hates how he’s caused such a problem. 

“Okay, okay. We’ll go with this whole you cheated on me scenario. I’ll talk to Eliott about it and I’m sure he’ll be on board.”

“How do you know he’ll be down to do this? It’ll ruin his reputation.” Sofiane. Lucas doesn’t know him but he knows of him. A soft boy as Imane likes to secretly describe him. He has a gentle disposition that stands out in stark contrast to all the schemers he stands alongside. 

“Only with my mother. And why wouldn’t he be down with it, he went with this fake dating shit, knowing it was going to end, didn't he?” 

“Well that’s the problem Lucas... doesn’t seem like any of us know why he went and did this. Ever think he could really just like you?” Arthur. Arthur was acting just a little too much like Sofiane right now for Lucas to be comfortable with. Because to listen to both Sofiane and Arthur is to ask Lucas to have blind faith in Eliott. To give Lucas false hope that their fake relationship had the chance of being real and Eliott was way too out of Lucas’ league for that shit to be true. 

He doesn’t want false hope. He doesn’t want to take that leap. 

“I think you’re giving this too much thought. He was probably just bored and took the chance when he saw one.” 

Noone responds to this. It was clear the situation left Lucas feeling dejected and they didn’t have an answer for this. 

Lucas sighs and rolls his eyes. 

“Just.. If you could all just let me talk to and handle Eliott I would appreciate it and Alex you are totally off the hook. Maybe I’ll make this break up happen sooner rather than later.” He sighs again and flops down on the couch. 

 

Daphne sits down beside him and runs her fingers through his hair. 

“Poor baby. We’ll figure this out.” 

Lucas doubts it. But he doesn’t tell her this. He closes his eyes to the small comfort. He really hated dilemmas. 

******

Sofiane, Alex, and Idriss walk into the apartment to the sight of Eliott dancing circles to the music blaring from the speakers while in the kitchen whipping up what looked like red pancake batter.

When Eliott spots them he smiles wide at their bewildered look. Placing the bowl down and absolutely forgetting all about it, Eliott approaches the three of them mouthing the words to the odd electro beat song playing, he grabs Sofiane by the hands and spins and dips him laughing all the while. 

"Dude what the hell?" 

Alex scrunches his face feeling an unsure feeling dance across the surface of his skin at the scene. He doesn't understand and he thinks he should be feeling angry but the anger doesn't come easy.

Idriss hits the power button immediately cutting off the music. A silence cuts across the kitchen leaving the four boys reeling at the suddenness of it all. 

"Eliott, we need to talk about this fake boyfriend shit." Idriss broaches the topic with a crassness that leaves Sofiane wincing and Alex nodding. 

"Yeah, what he said. And that bullshit you pulled with my project. What are you thinking?” 

Alex fails at sounding mad because it's hard to muster up that feeling when the other boy was smiling so widely. 

“Oh so you know about that?” 

Sofiane smiles up at Eliott, who still has him in a dipped position. 

“Yeah man...we know about that.” Sofiane eases himself into a standing position and out of Eliott’s hold.

"About Lucas. And we," Sofiane gestures to the other two, "already said we wouldn't get involved." 

The shorter, curly haired boy looks pointedly at Idriss who, in turn, rolls his eyes. 

"I'm not saying he's gotta fix shit. Just," Idriss runs at his head and runs a hand down his face. "Do you know what you're doing?" 

It's a question that sounds nonchalant. Yet still holds such weight. He wants Eliott to know that weight. To get familiarized with it. He wants his quirky friend to say something. Do something that states everything is going to be fine. 

That he has it all figured out. 

So at the sight of a wide smile and still dancing feet, Idriss lets his shoulders drop and the tension bleed from his stance. He welcomes the heavy feeling of Eliot's arm as it drapes across his shoulders.

Eliott uses the lengths of his arms to squish Sofiane and Alex to his chest as he allows himself to hang off of Idriss' shoulders.

"Boys, have I ever given you reason to not trust me?"

As a matter of fact yes. The countless times Eliott's cooking had indeed given them food poisoning. Or all those after school detentions for those foolish plans that Eliott concocted all through high school. 

Yes they have plenty of reasons to send guess anything Eliott proposes. 

"Okay...I take that question back. I promise I know what I'm doing... how 'bout we light a joint and sit back and I'll tell you all about my plan."

Eliott leads the other three towards the couch. Reaches towards the end table where a freshly rolled joint lays untouched. His smile is wide and bright and Alex and Idriss find it hard to maintain a facade of anger or disappointment. Alex easily forgets that Eliott nearly cost him a letter grade on his project. 

Sofiane declines when the joint reaches him and Eliott shrugged before taking a second hit. He releases the smoke through his nostrils and around the edges of his smile. 

Eliott's smile is of the predatorial kind. Like he's on a hunt for something. Like those kaleidoscopic eyes have its prey in his scope and range and Sofiane suddenly feels sorry for Lucas. Because there was no way the other boy was going to get out of this relationship if Eliott had any say in this. 

The high settles their bones and washes away the stress. 

"So I've got most of this figured out but I'm going to need your help."

Idriss rolls on his back and holds his hands up for Eliott to see his palms. 

"Nah man, already told Yann I'm washing my hands with this shit. I'm pretty sure he wants to murder you in your sleep if he could."

"Him and Emma both." Alex chimes in. He sits with his back resting against the couch and head tilted far back to stare up at the ceiling.

Eliott doesn't seem deterred and instead pushes towards, his words and tone coaxing at his friends. Best buds. Partners in crime.

"Yes but in order for my plan to work, I'll need the help of Yann and Emma. Here's what we are going to do." 

Eliott leans forward, towards the other three with his shoulders bunched and half lidded eyes sparkling like he was about to reveal the secret of the universe. 

He smiles as they follow his move despite the fact they were in the privacy of their own apartment. 

***  
He was going to do it. He was going to call Eliott out on his bullshit. He was going to figure out with the other boy, how to end their fake relationship without any hard feelings lingering. 

The only issue that Lucas encounters in all his planning, is how exactly to word it:

_Eliott I know all about you scheming ways, you fucking con man, we need to end this now rather than later and this is how it's going to go._

Or 

_I don't think this is going to work out. Emma came up with an idea to get us out of this mess._

Or

_are u free? Can we each other?_

He likes the last one the best but also feels like it would lead to more confusion. Would lead to misunderstanding on Eliott's part. The boy might think that Lucas just wants to see him for the sake of seeing him when obviously that wasn't the case. It wasn't.

But he chose that one. Lucas sent the text. Presses the send button before his slightly shaking fingers could back out on him. 

 

What he wasn't expecting was for the following text, sent back to him in response, to cause him to fall into a spiral of uncertainty and anger. 

> **Eliott**  
>  _Hey! Sorry, im out with your mama right now. Can we meet up later?_

Lucas squints at the screen and mouths the words at least twice before his eyes widens and the words sink in. 

"What the actual fuck?" He shouts. Lucas ignores the looks he receives on the bus and makes quick to text back. 

> **Lucas**  
>  _what? what are u doing with her?"_

The response is instantaneous and attached is a picture of his kind hearted, loving mother posing next to Eliott who is obviously taking the picture with his long arms. 

> **Eliott**  
>  _We're grocery shopping!!_

Lucas can see the brown paper bags held in his mother and Eliott's arms. Both of them smile brightly at the camera. 

His phone buzzes and another picture shows up on the screen and he feels his heart stop and flutter. 

The image that fills his screen is Eliott's face, smile wide and eyes half moon slits. Laugh lines prominent. Lucas fights everything in him to stop from holding his phone up to capture him at his best angle on a bus crowded with people. 

He couldn't be that person. No he wouldn't be. So instead Lucas types back a quick _'k',_ then dials Yann's number. It rings twice before the other boy picks up. 

"Lucas you know I'm at work right? What's up, dude?"

"Yann?!" He hears the boy sigh again and Lucas wanted to reach into the phone and shake his best friend. He should have called Arthur. Or Basile. Yeah he should have called Bas.

"What?"

"He's...he's out with my mother right now! Shopping." Lucas screams into the phone. He's on a crowded bus and he doesn't care that his flailing arms might smack a child in the face. 

"What's he doing that for, she's my mom, not his?"

There's a pause on the other line.

"Let me ask you...are you jealous of _him_ or jealous of your _mother?_ "

Lucas is not going to answer that question. Yann is stupid. 

"How am I supposed to react to news that my fake boyfriend is hanging out with mama, Yann. This goes beyond the scope of fake boyfriend."

Why doesn't the other boy see this? How could Yann casually dismiss this as a case of misplaced jealousy. 

It wasn't. Clearly.

"I don't know what to tell you. Maybe you found someone who actually wants to date you? Ever think of that?"

No. Yes. Maybe. His heartbeat quickened at the thought. Lucas shakes his head and does his best to shake the feeling of his cheeks heating up but the image of the smiling face on his phone only causes the heat to travel to the tips of his ears. 

"Listen… just think about it. I have to get back to work."

Lucas sulks but let's Yann go. "Mmk." And no he was not going to think about it, still convinced there was no use. Just as he is about to put his phone away it buzzes and Lucas opens Eliott's text. 

> **Eliott**  
>  _No pic?_

The sad face pulls at the strings of his heart and Lucas closes his eyes tightly before releasing the tension in his shoulders. 

He can do this. Even if it means nothing. 

He holds the phone up knowing just how to smile and where to look to capture his best side. Yes, he was just that person. 

The response has Lucas holding his breath and looking away from his phone and out the windows of the bus. 

> **Eliott**  
>  _Absolutely stunning.... always._

 

He doesn't smile, doesn't laugh, doesn't know how to react because what he wants to do he realizes, is smile giddily down at his phone.

He wants to press the call button to hear Eliott talk and wants to see Eliott just so they are close to each other and he knows what he wants is completely irrational. Because he has only known Eliott for about two weeks. And what he wants is for all this to be real and not feel like he's lying to his mama, doesn't want to feel like he is lying to Eliott. 

Doesn't want to feel like he is lying to himself.

But Lucas doesn't know how to voice all this so he shoots back a simple

> **Lucas**  
>  _not so bad yourself_

He spends the bus ride feeling suspended and unsure as he trades messages with the other boy. He agrees to a date next Saturday but thinks nothing of it. Eliott doesn't mention it as a fake date so Lucas doesn't either. 

He lets a tiny smile sit perfectly on his face as he gets off the bus. He can figure shit out after the date. 

The whole situation slips from his mind. He doesn't bring it up when he is around the girls. Doesn't talk about it with the boys and ignores the weight that settles on his shoulders as he continues to respond to Eliott's texting. Flirting when the other flirts. Sending pics when Eliott sends pics. He rationalizes because who wouldn't text their fake boyfriend. They had to pretend, didn't they?

He is still feeling too skeptical to initiate but Eliott doesn't complain. Instead he stares at the hundreds of texts that he has racked up in the last week or so. Secretly saving those images to his phone's album without the other knowing. 

He wonders if Eliott saves Lucas's pictures. He doubts it. 

So on Friday night, in the sticky heat of spring bleeding into summer, Lucas is home in his bed alone choosing to munch on stale popcorn and watching cheesy sitcom while the boys went out for drinks. He is jostled from his superficial thoughts when his phone buzzes and he reads the message with brows furrowed. 

> **Eliott**  
>  _Open the door!!!_

Lucas throws the blanket off and stalks to the door and sure enough he sees Eliott's smiling face, hands waving back and forth rapidly. He throws the door open and Eliott moves in for a hug that startles Lucas and warms his belly at the same time. He thinks about those strong arms that pulse gently around his waist, the heat on his chest and the fingers that paint warmth on his back. He breathes in deeply the earthy scent that is Eliott as he brings his own hands to bunch his fingers in the stretch material of Eliott's tee. 

It's in this moment that he silently admits to himself that he really likes Eliott. Really really _likes_ Eliott. 

The gentle peck to his cheek as Eliott pulls back force a blush to splash across his face. He brings one hand up to gently brush against the spot, fingertips careful not to erase the feeling. He looks up at Eliott through his lashes and his breath catches at the smile aimed at him. 

Lucas looks away and steps aside to usher Eliott into the apartment before slamming the door shut. He feels totally underdressed wearing only an oversized green tee with his dark grey boxer briefs barely covering anything. He wishes he'd put something on before answering the door. 

"Hey, what's up?" He heads towards the kitchen and Eliott follows on his heels never more than two steps behind. 

"Want something to drink? I have water? beer?" He pulls out a water bottle for himself and hands one of each to Eliott without waiting for a response. His nerves skyrocket and he doesn't know what to do so he hops up onto the counter, hands gripping and drumming the edge nervously. 

"What brings you here?" 

Lucas watches as Eliott takes a sip of his beer before placing it down and moving in close, hands coming to rest gently on Lucas' hips. 

"I came to help you pack." 

"To...help me pack?" 

Eliott nods his head and Lucas frowns because he can't connect the dots. 

"O...okay? For what?" 

Eliott brings a hand up and Lucas almost asks him to put it back where it was because he was already missing the warmth. A finger flicks his nose gently and Lucas feels himself go crossed for a second. 

"For our date silly. It's going to be a weekend thing." 

This was news to him. 

"And exactly where are we going?" 

He watches as Eliott brings a finger to his lips and smirks at him. 

"That's a secret." His large hands move to lace with Lucas' and gently pulls him off the counter without letting go. Lucas lets it all happen. 

"Don't I need to know where I'm going to pack." He smiles at Eliott, enjoying the secrecy of it all. 

"That's what I'm here for. So, handsome…" Eliott uses the leverage he has and pulls Lucas flush against his taller frame and Lucas thinks he might. "Lead me to your room so we can get started." 

Lucas has to swallow thickly at the suggestive tone and has to stop himself from dragging the other into show him his bed and not his closet. But Lucas is stronger. He clenches and unclenches his hands in Eliott's grip and shuffles his feet on the hardwood floor, leading Eliott to his bedroom. He ignores the thudding of his heart against his ribcage. 

Eliott makes himself comfortable on his floor near the closet as Lucas drags out his duffle bag from beneath the bed. 

Ten minutes in he finds himself modeling his clothing for Eliott as the other looked on occasionally reaching for an article of clothing stating, "you never know?" 

Lucas puts on thick sweaters, thin slub jersey tanks, and regular tees. He's confused because Eliott nods to it all and Lucas throws it into his bag and starts to think Eliott was laughing and being purposefully obtuse just so Lucas would have no clue where they were going. 

Somehow he doesn't think he'll really need that large winter coat that Eliott throws into the bag. 

He laughs and makes a move to pull it out of the duffle but Eliott dives to stop him, his own barking laughter coming out. 

"Alright stop," he struggles to stop laughing. "I don't care where we are going but I most definitely do not need this." 

It's the slightest tug of war on the floor of his bedroom until Eliott pulls a little harder than expected and Lucas finds himself out of breath and sprawled out across Eliott's lap. He's inches away from Eliott's face and his hand rests precariously on Eliott's thigh. 

Lucas counts the lashes that brush Eliott's cheeks, traces the laughter lines, paints with his eyes the lines of Eliott's lips and counts the breaths the other takes as his chest moves up and down from the exhaustion of their activity. He feels the small puffs of air as Eliott breaths and the feeling wakes him from his stupor and he scrambles up and off of Eliott placing more than a couple of feet between the two of them. 

He clears his throat and stares at the floor willing his face to calm the fuck down. He tries to flush the feeling of wanting to kiss the other boy away and fails miserably. 

"Hm. I...uh. I think we are done." He moves to clean up the mess that was a pile of his clothing strewn all over his room. He simply gathers it all and shoves it into his closet all the while ignoring Eliott who has yet to say anything or move from his spot. 

Lucas looks at the clock and sees how late it is so he offers his bed or the alternative. An air mattress but Eliott, who avoids his gaze, shakes his head. 

"No, I'll head back to mine. But I'll pick you up tomorrow at 6:30. Our train leaves at 7:30 so be ready. 

Lucas wishes at once that Eliott would have taken the offer to stay and is thankful that he said no. 

Lucas walks him to the door and watches as Eliott lingers, turns as if he wants to say something and then convinces himself not to with the shake of his head. 

Before he walks away Lucas stops him, speaking words that he knew needed to be said but he didn't want to say. 

"You know you don't have to pretend to be my boyfriend when there's no one around... we don't have to go on these fake dates or anything like that." 

__We could lie._ _

Lucas finds himself standing small next to the tall stature of Eliott as Eliott turns and steps back, close and into Lucas' space. 

"I take everything I do seriously." When Eliott grips at Lucas' chin, Lucas baths in the warmth of the other. "I take this seriously… I take you seriously." 

Lucas feels hope unfurl inside him at the words. 

Eliott leans down close as his voice drops to a whisper, and he's a mere inch away from closing the gap between the two of them but something stops him and Lucas watches those eyes close and he draws away. 

"Night, Lucas." Eliott turns and walks away, leaving Lucas to whisper to no one. 

"Night." 

Lucas shuts the door and it kills him but he wants so badly to know what Eliott was going to say before he interrupted, before he stopped him from leaving. 

As he stood there, body half turned towards Lucas, eyes clouded and mouth already forming the words before he bit it back. 

He wants to know what stopped Eliott from kissing him. What was running through his head, what made him pull away. He doesn't think he'll ever find out 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @bluronyourradar on tumblr. 
> 
> Leave me some ideas to write. I'm pretty boring on tumblr. :)


	7. The Sweetest Memory is You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas swallows thickly and forces himself to look away. Lucas is sure this weekend was going to be spent with him adorning a perpetual blush on his face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo A whole lot of softness in this chapter. Such a self indulgent fic. They just love each other, okay? Lucas being a hot mess and Eliott being positively oblivious. All I got to say is ....They cute...

Lucas rolls around all night. Sleep evades him. By the time his alarm goes off he realizes he got zero rest and when he looks himself in the mirror, he isn't surprised to see bloodshot eyes and puffy skin. A pale sheen to his complexion. 

Doesn't look good on him. It's 5:45 and he has less than an hour to get his shit together. Lucas sucks in his cheeks turns his head from side to side observing. He riffles through his cabinets for the visine, squeezes two drops in each eye and does his best to rid himself of the redness. The burn of the liquid causes the smallest amount of tears to fall and he can't help the way his nose waters. 

Slaps himself once, twice and pinches his cheeks to bring some color to his face. He thinks he cleans up pretty well. Lucas picks up his phone, angles it just right and snaps a picture of himself. He likes the way he looks. Tongue hanging out and eyes all bunched up. Lucas questions if he should send it to Eliott. The thought of leaving things tense and awkward after last night's encounter creates knots in his stomach and he definitely wants to be rid of them. 

So he bites his bottom lip and sends the picture to Eliott all the while thinking, _'his ass better be awake.'_

It's not a second later that he receives a simple one word response.

> **Eliott**  
>  _cute_

And Lucas huffs a laugh, rolls his eyes and answers the other.

> **Lucas**  
>  _what should i wear?_
> 
> **Eliott**  
>  _nothing_ 😉

He feels his face flush and his pulse jump insanely. Fingers shaking as he hastily taps out his response.

> **Lucas**  
>  _idiot, I'm serious._
> 
> **Eliott**  
>  _anythinng looks good on you but a tshirt and sweats will do._

Lucas puffs his cheeks. Feels the crackling burn to center himself because he doesn't want to read into it. He doesn't think that would end well.

Because he thinks Eliott would look good on him. Look really good. Great even. Lucky for Lucas, he has a filter and his fingers type out a simple

> **Lucas**  
>  _k_

And leaves it at that. He takes a shower, feels a bit satisfied that the steam colors his cheeks. Lucas runs fingers through his damp hair, settles on letting it air dry and is quick to go get dressed. Sweats and a tee seems like a relaxing day. He grabs his hoodie, just in case, and overstuffed duffel and checks his phone and sees that Eliott is five minutes away.

> **Lucas**  
>  _meet you outside, dun wanna wake the boys_

He walks through the halls, lights off and steps soft. Their doors were closed and more often than not his friends were heavy sleepers but he didn't want to chance it.

He decides to send them a text to let them know he'd be gone for the weekend.

> **Lucas**  
>  _going to be gone this weekend_

He doesn't bother explaining. Not that he was trying to hide the fact that he was hanging out with Eliott. Never hiding. Maybe.

Outside, just as the sun was about to kiss the horizon, before the royal blues and blacks fade to purple and a hazy morning orange, Lucas is greeted by the breathtaking sight of Eliott jogging over to him. 

Hair windswept, eyes bright, smile relaxed. He carried a duffle bag, smaller than Lucas’, wore a slub tank jersey and sweats that cuffed at his ankles. A pair of sneakers covered his feet. 

Lucas felt faint at the sight. He had to force himself to inhale slowly so as not to alert Eliott that he has indeed, stole his breath away. And he is struck with the thought that he dug his grave without a way out. As the days continue to stack and he exchanges more and more messages— has more interactions with this con man extraordinaire Lucas is sure that there is no saving him now. 

He was going down with this ship.

“Hey!” Eliott says breathlessly and Lucas watches as the rising sun cuts across the angles of his face, laying everything golden. He could do this. He would do this. Fake relationship be damned. 

Lucas would use every trick up his sleeve to make this boy fall in love with him. He was going to turn Eliott’s world upside down. Lucas weighs his chances, thinks back on that one kiss he shared with Eliott and concludes that Eliott has to be a tad bent. Not totally straight. 

Meaning: accessible. And if he could do it then he would never have to expose this lie to his mama. Because it wouldn't be a lie. 

It would be real. 

He has the weekend to pull out all the stops. Make Eliott all hot and bothered. With his lips. His eyes. His body. Then he'll ask him, at the end of this weekend when Eliott can no longer resist Lucas' sexiness. 

He can do it. Lucas realizes he has the confidence of a potato but he can't just let such an opportunity go. Not while Eliott stands there in front of him, sleep worn and still the most beautiful thing he's seen.

"Hey you." Lucas traces Eliott with his eyes, waits until he knows the other boy his looking and purposefully draws his bottom lip into his mouth. Bites down gently and releases it slowly. 

He feels the morning air cool on his lips. It's only when he sees the flicker of eyes pass over him without much thought does Lucas feel the smallest amount of disappointment spill in his chest. He stuffs the doubt towards the back of his head. 

"Should we head out? I was thinking we could stop by the store and pick up some snacks for the train."

Lucas nods his head.

"Sure. I know a place on the way." He moves to walk and if Eliott notices that Lucas brushes up against him as he passes, he simply breathes in deep but says nothing. 

Lucas takes it as a win. His feet lead them with a destination in mind. Eliott matches him one for one and walks beside him without questioning. They have half an hour before they need to get to the train and it wasn't a far ride. When they get to the story they split off, each going down a different aisle. 

Lucas picks up all his favorite tooth rotting goodness. Bags of sour gummies, bars of chocolate, and a good dose of unhealthy crispy potato chips for him to munch on later. A bag of lollipops. He doesn't know how long the ride is. He needs to get his fill. When he's done, Lucas looks up searching out the other.

He smiles as he catches Eliott's eyes over the short rack of snacks. Eliott ducks and Lucas blinks rapidly nearly jumping when Eliott pops up two aisle away in a different spot. He giggles when he realizes he is playing eye tag with him, joins in and ducks his head. His feet scurry along, carrying his hunched form. When he's closer to where he thinks Eliott is he pops up. 

Only Eliott is nowhere to be seen. He turns, eyes scanning, lips pursed trying to catch a glimpse of the familiar tuft of hair. Lucas jumps out of his skin when Eliott pops up in front of him, laughing all the while at his expensive. One unsturdy rack separating the two of them. 

"Fuck, you scared me." Lucas brings up a hand to calm his racing heart as Eliott continues to smile at him, laughter lines deep in his joy.

Eliott gestures with his head. "Lets pay, we have a train to catch, yeah?"

Out of the store, Eliott slings an arm around Lucas shoulders and walks closer. When Lucas looks up at him, he simply directs a smile at him. 

That little voice whispers in the back of his mind, _"he takes everything he does seriously...even fake relationships."_ And Lucas squashes it because he has no time for wallowing in pity. He has a boy to win over. 

So Lucas walks till their sides touch and when he breathes in deeply, he is surrounded by the scent that is Eliott. 

A musky scent that spins his head round and round until he is dizzy from euphoria. They walk in silence like this. 

When they reach the station, Eliott makes him wait outside in the warming sun. He scoffs at all the secrecy, but in truth he thinks it's fun. A mystery trip. One that took planning. His residential butterflies flutter in a frenzy at the thought that Eliott spent time thinking about this trip. Thinking about him. 

Lucas is pulled from his ruminations of said boy when he feels the tender grip of fingers on his shoulders and he turns to see Eliott grinning at him. 

"Ready when you are, handsome." 

Handsome. That word again. A word he'd never think to use to describe himself and it falls so easily from the other boys lips. 

Lucas nods his head and lets Eliott drag him on the train. They sit across from each other both occasionally catching eyes before smiling widely then looking away. Lucas can’t help but watch as Eliott sets his gaze outside the window at the blurs of trees. The streets and highways. All passing by and leaving home behind them. Eliott points outside and Lucas follows it and sees the shapes of clouds sitting high in the morning sky. 

"That one looks like a turtle." Lucas squints. Tilts his head and tries his hardest to keep from giggling. Because to Lucas it simply looks like a cloud. Eliott looks at him expectantly and he finds it in himself to nod. The beaming smile directed at him was worth the little white lie. 

They play this game for longer than he thought possible, with Eliott sprouting images of animals, objects more outrageous than the last. When the taller boy settles into a mutual quiet, Lucas thinks now is a better time than any. Lucas could see Eliott watching him from the peripheral as he rummages through his bag of goodies. He pulls out a lollipop with the utmost innocence. Unwraps it with easy and plops the blow pop into his awaiting mouth, makes to suck loudly at the bulbous confectionery with his eyes closed. 

“Mm... This is _so_ good.” Lucas uses that voice. The husky voice he reserves for the bedroom. The one where he knows it cracks deliciously and makes his lovers grow wild. Because it is a whole body ordeal where his chin drops and his lashes flutter and his body feels relaxed yet taut with an undercurrent of excitement. 

Lucas sucks on the treat, wrapped his lips around it and sucks before pulling it out with a pop. He lets out a small gasp, still not looking at the other boy, uses his tongue obscenely and paints the inside of his mouth red for minutes before his eyes open slowly, still hooded. He pauses. Stops his ministrations completely. Eyes snapping open as he realizes the other wasn’t paying attention.

Not in the least. 

Eliott sits with his phone held up, snapping away pictures of him and the passing scenery. Eyes completely diverted from Lucas. 

Lucas grunts and slams his teeth down on the lollipop, as if it were the reason for all his problems. 

“Oh hey, you got anymore of those lollipops?” Lucas throws the bag at him. 

“Here, take ‘em.” He doesn’t even like lollipops. Eliott smiles and shrugs his shoulders before taking the entire bag. Lucas watches as Eliott’s face brightens and he pulls out a blue raspberry pop. He finds it hard to keep an angry disposition with Eliott sitting across from him, so happily turning the inside of his mouth a bright blue. Lucas stifles a smile behind the cover of his hand as he looks on. He comes to a firm realization that seducing Eliott was going to be harder than he thought. Eliott who went about the world with such little care or maybe it was too much care. Too meticulous that Lucas fears he doesn’t know how to bring the other boy down when his head was floating in the clouds. 

He feels more determined than ever. He wants Eliott to look at him the way he looks at clouds—with wonder. Lucas’ eyes follow Eliott’s movements. The way he pulls the treat out, lips puckered, tongue lapping, and teeth scraping gently. Lucas feels it. Feels the heat lick him from the inside out. Lucas shifts in his seat just the slightest, crosses his legs and clears his throat all the while never taking his eyes off of Eliott. Lucas _needs_ Eliott to want to put his mouth on him. Lucas _wants_ all of that and more.

Eliott bites down and cracks the lollipop in half and Lucas finds himself wincing. Maybe not the biting. Well. Okay maybe the biting. But gentle. 

He clears his throat, louder this time and catches Eliott’s eyes. 

“So how much longer?” 

“Hm? Oh, probably another 45min.” They’ve been riding for over two hours now. He rolls his eyes. 

“No hints at this point I take it?” He stores away the smile that Eliott sends his way. A lift of lips wide enough to crinkle his eyes. Eliott shakes his head and Lucas watches as his hair shuffles with the action.

A beautiful boy. Lucas feels his heart stutter in his chest at the image of perfection that Eliott presents him. Too much so he looks away bites at the tip of his fingers as his blue eyes look out at the scenery that passes. He sees a blur of trees, bright leaves, a smudge of green sitting beneath the clear blue of the sky with white puffy clouds in the distance. 

He takes it all in. Stores it for tomorrow. And the next day. Just in case. Lucas prepares like all of this will disappear only leaving him with just memories.

He lets a comfortable silence settled between them, allows for the minutes pass and only sits up more alert when his eyes take in the deep blue-green of an ocean spread out in the near distance for his eyes to feast on. His mouth drops open just the slightest as he picks out the lapping of waves, the greeting between the water and land. A rhythmic movement that spells a calm inside him. As it always has, ever since he was a child. He could almost taste it.

The salt in the air. He is sure that if he strains, closes his eyes, he can hear the splash, hear the call of seagulls, feel the grit of sand between his toes. He could pull all these sensations from his memories. He looks from the window to Eliott, watches the smile that is slow to split cheeks and crinkle eyes. 

Eliott brought him to the ocean. 

A place that he loves but rarely frequents. He wants to jump the other. Wants so badly to smother him with kisses on his cheeks, his eyes, the tip of his nose. Wants to connect their lips like that one time when his mother caught them. 

“The ocean?” _How did you know._

Eliott nods his head, excited. 

“I was told you liked the beach. I got us a room with a nice view. Thought it would be,” Eliott trails off hand coming up to run through his own hair with uncertainty. "...thought it would be nice to get away from everything." 

Lucas lets himself sink, relaxed at the admission. 

How the fuck is he so cute, Lucas thinks. He wonders. He doesn't get answers.

Lucas follows Eliott's lead when the train stutters to a stop. He grabs his overstuffed duffel, eyes rolling at the thought of all those long sleeved sweaters stuffed inside for no apparent reason except the sole purpose of keeping Eliott's date destination a secret. He was pretty sure Eliott threw in a pair of gloves for shits and giggles. 

The trip from the train to the hotel was short in comparison. He is greeted with a large king bed in the center of a modestly decorated room. Dressed in sheer blues and golds. Colors that shimmer magically when the light hits it just right. 

Lucas drops his duffel and lets out a childish squeal before diving onto the bed. Bouncing once, twice before settling onto the too warm comforter, face nuzzling the softness. 

"Sorry, there was supposed to be two beds." Lucas hums and shakes his head. For some reason Eliott didn't sound too apologetic and Lucas definitely doesn't mind sharing a bed. Sharing space. 

"No don't worry about it. This bed is big enough for three." 

He hears Eliott chuckle and the bed shift just the slightest from added weight.

"Maybe I should have invited another person to join so all this extra space doesn't go to waste." Lucas tenses at the statement and his eyes, which had been falling closed in comfort, snapped open to glare out of the slider doors that opened to a balcony overlooking the sand and sea. 

He turns from the sight to look at Eliott from his position on the bed, brows furrowed mouth twisted. He grunts at Eliott for even suggesting something so stupid. The other boy laughs delighted, holds up his hands in surrender. 

"Okay, okay. I take it back. I'm yours for weekend." 

Damn straight. 

He squawks when a palm comes down firmly, snacking his ass. Lucas jerks and his hands move to protect himself. He looks up at Eliott feeling betrayed. Partially because he wasn't expecting that from the other boy and partially because he knows his face is flaming red because he likes the contact from the other so much. He doesn't know if he feels.more betrayed by Eliott or his own body at this point. 

“Get up,” Lucas watches as the other boy stands from the bed, satisfaction written into the lines of his face. Eliott bends at the end of the bed reaching for a short sleeved button down and swim shorts from his duffle bag. 

 

“We are going for ice cream down on the boardwalk.” Eliott disappears into the adjoined bathroom, opting to leave the door open and Lucas stares after the golden glow of artificial light. He sees Eliott’s reflection in the mirror, watches him with his mouth slightly open and eyes mesmerized by the sight of the other boy pulling off his clothing, one article at a time. 

Lucas swallows thickly and forces himself to look away. Lucas is sure this weekend was going to be spent with him adorning a perpetual blush on his face. Lucas searches for a change of clothes and turns his back to the bathroom door. Lucas is quick to shed his sweats but keeps his tee. He pulls up the swim shorts and runs both palms down the swell of his backside smoothing out the material. When he turns his breathing hitches as he sees Eliott leaning against a wall, eyes intense and locked onto his smaller form. His shirt was left opened, chest exposed and Lucas bites at his lower lips as his eyes roam. Eliott was like a well laid out buffet table that Lucas wasn’t allowed to touch. 

_Yet,_ he tells himself. Yet. For now he will occupy his thoughts of what he wants to do to that body without acting on it. He’s okay with that. He clears his throat. 

“So, uh. Ice cream?” And that is how Lucas finds himself standing side by side with Eliott who stood a head taller than him. He watches as other patrons walk out with towering waffle cones, hard scooped deliciousness quickly melting in the heat. 

Lucas orders a vanilla soft serve on a sugar cone. A death sentence in this heat he knows but he smiles devilishly at Eliott, plot already forming in his head. 

Eliott gets two scoops of chocolate on a waffle cone. The treat teeters dangerously. 

They leave the shop both opting to sit on a stone wall on the crowded boardwalk. Lucas waits until he knows Eliott is watching. He flattens his tongue and licks at his rapidly melting treat slowly. 

Lucas keeps eye contact as his head tilts unnecessarily from side to side as his tongue cuts through the cream with feverish kitten licks. Mouth working to suck the tip of the cool treat into his mouth. He knows his lips are painted creamy and glazed. He can feel the numbness sinking in, the buzz he feels as he works far more sensually than he had any right to. 

Lucas lets his gaze drop as he watches Eliott's forgotten ice cream melt onto his fingers that squeeze the cone a little too hard. He has to stop himself from smirking and dancing in victory as he sees Eliott swallow thickly and move to _adjust_ himself. 

He doesn't moan or call out, but Lucas gasps at the burst of flavor on his tongue, lets out an audible breath as he continues to devour what is in front of him. He hums lightly, basking in the fact that he knows it's affecting Eliott. 

But really, he is also excited because this place has bomb ice cream. So when his little one man show and love fest is interrupted indefinitely, Lucas is upset. 

"Heads up!" 

The call jerks Eliott out of his trance and Lucas is forced to turn and look. Momentary panic hits him when he sees a frisbee heading his way with a speed that could stop his heart. He swears his life flashes before his eyes and instinctively Lucas drops what he is holding and uses his hand to slap the offending object away from him. His palm springs from the force and the sting is red hot as he looks down at where the frisbee crashes in the sand. 

Right next to his ice cream cone.

"Hey, sorry about that dude!" A kid no older than 15 trots over and picks up his frisbee. Salutes Lucas and Eliott before leaving. Walks away like he didn't have a hand in foiling Lucas' plan. 

Lucas scowls at his sand covered ice cream. He was so close. So sure he was going to get Eliott's resolve to break. Was going to get the other boy to throw caution to the wind and swoop him up, take him back to the hotel room and have his wicked way with him. 

But a fucking frisbee ruined it. He startles when Eliott thrusts his own frozen treat in Lucas' face. 

"Here, have mine?" 

Lucas looks at the cone in front of him. Takes in the knuckles covered in streaks of chocolate ice cream. How the ice cream looked so sad and dilapidated in the heat of the sun. Blue eyes travel up to stare at Eliott who is grinning at him, chin dotted with chocolate, cheeks dusted with the lightest blush. 

Lucas leans in slowly. He looks down demurely as he gets close, jumps into Eliott's personal space. He bites down on the waffle cone and tongue comes out to lick up the ice cream. He's never been a fan of chocolate before but thinks it might be his new favorite. 

When he pulls away Lucas diverts his gaze and runs his hands down the length of his thighs in a move that reveals his nerves. Because he realizes what he just did. 

Lucas breathes, breathe stuttering.

"W-we…we can share." He squeaks out as he catches the widening of those blue grey eyes. Eliott says nothing but he continues to pass the treat between the two of them. With Lucas occasionally looking at the other, eyes meeting and smile small. He feels flustered each time Eliott licks up a spill on the back of his hand, every time he takes a bite then passes it to Lucas because it is the most lucrative indirect kiss scenario that Lucas has ever experienced. Something about it warms the pit of his stomach. It doesn't leave him even when they finish and it's all gone. 

It stays when Eliott lifts a hand and his thumb swipes at a smear of chocolate on Lucas' chin and then brings said thumb to his own mouth to clean off the mess. 

Lucas has to look away, look at the sky, the sand, the water. Anywhere but at Eliott. He ignores the dark chuckle that comes from the other boy. 

Lucas is quick to jump off the wall, landing with his feet in the sand. 

"C'mon, let's get closer to the water."

He doesn't wait for Eliott as he continues his trek. Lucas brings up his hands to smack gently at his face. He does his best to be rid of the heat. He bites the inside of his cheeks to no avail. His heart still beats quickly as the image of Eliott sitting next to him all sexy and golden in the sun permanently imprints itself into his thoughts. 

Lucas speeds up his pace.The beach is less crowded than the boardwalk, sand a steaming heat felt even through his flip flops. He gets close enough to feel the water wash over his ankle. Close enough so he can feel to pull.

The waves were large, a calming crash in a rhythmic manner. Lucas lets the sound of it settle his rapidly beating heart. When he turns he sees Eliott sitting on the wet sand, legs extended and hands splayed behind him, holding up his weight. His face is tilted towards the sun, eyes closed and relaxed. He has the urge to join him so he does. Gives in quickly and refuses to fight it. 

Lucas steps away from the water and walks the short distance towards the other. He lies down on the sand, half of it wet and the other half dry. Lucas cushions his head on his arm let's his fingers play catch with the little grains; gripping and letting go. Despite the back and forth feelings of panic and calm while in the presence of Eliott, Lucas likes this. Likes the fact that he can feel at ease around the other. That he feels confident enough to be a silly little shit. 

“I love the beach. We used to go every summer, take a little family vacation, you know?” Lucas admits, eyes catching sight of a small baby crab burrowing itself in the sand. He spoke softly; lets the wind carry his voice to Eliott uncaring if the other boy was really listening

“It never mattered if we were fighting, if we faced financial problems or stress at work. When we got here, it was like nothing was wrong. Like nothing could go wrong.” There were only smiles and laughter and happiness in the company of ocean. The comfort of water wrapped around him as a child and the scent of salt and sea on his tongue. “It was nice.” Lucas speaks, an old sadness creeping into his voice. 

“What happened?”

Lucas shrugged and he looked up at Eliott who watched him with a soft gaze. 

“We stopped coming.” Everything became too much. The fights didn’t stop and the stress piled up. Things fell apart and it was no longer a priority. Lucas is drawn out of his musing when he feels fingers run casually through his hair. He looks up at Eliott who has leaned over him, blocking out the slowing sinking sun. 

“We can make new memories. Promise.”

Lucas lets out a breath that he felt like he’s been holding in all day at the words. If everything were to fall apart by days end, Lucas wouldn’t regret any of it. He’d take these memories to the grave. Cherish them even. 

He doesn’t know how long he lays there, legs wet from the incoming tide, arms warm from the sun and hair ruffled by the wind. Lucas enjoys how the hours pass. 

He holds back his laughter but not his smile when Eliott takes time to bury him in the sand. Scooping with his large palms and depositing the grains until slowly his legs disappear. Eliott snaps photos and Lucas poses. He shifts in the sand, gets up and drags Eliott near the water. Splashes at him and laughs as Eliott splashes back. Both of them are damp from play. 

By the time the rush of the day leaves him, the horizon has cut the sun in half and painted the sky in beautiful hues of orange and hazy purples. Lucas stares out from his place at the water’s edge staring out at where the water and sky meet in the distance. He leaves Eliott alone as he takes some time to himself and plays on his phone when they’ve gotten all the childish need to play out of their system. The wind picks up and plays with both their hair. Lucas feels the remnants of the sun's warmth slowly bleed away. 

Eliott taps away at his phone and Lucas can’t bring it upon himself to be upset even when he sees Eliott focused on it more and more as the daylight leaves them. The sounds of children playing was now simply an echo drowned out by the crashing of waves. Waves that grew choppier as the hours and minutes tick by. 

Lucas feels his stomach rumbling, a show of hunger due to the lack of food that they’ve consumed. He returns to his spot next to Eliott. The other boy still immersed in his phone, the little glow lighting up his face. 

“How bout dinner?” Lucas cocks his head to the side he waits for Eliott to tap out a message. It’s minutes before the other looks up, beaming and nods his head before stowing his phone. Lucas can’t even be mad at the sight. 

“I wanted to show you something first, then we can grab dinner.” Lucas nods and takes Eliott’s proffered hand. “ Just around that bend.” Lucas follows the point of Eliott’s finger, a short distance away around the curve of rocks and sand dunes. 

“Race you.” Eliott doesn’t give him a moment to breathe before his feet hit the sand and he’s off. Eliott’s laughter is Lucas’ only company as he stares at Eliott’s back in surprise. 

“No fair! You _cheater!_ ” Lucas shouts with a smile as he runs to chase after Eliott. His heart races with him as he finds that he loves this. Loves the fact that they are running parallel to the sinking sun. Running as the sand kicks up gently at the force of their steps. Running as the water laps at them. His chest burns but he runs with confidence and quickly over takes Eliott. He hears the other laughing and breathing heavy, but Lucas doesn’t stop. He keeps going, smile splitting his face because he feels so free in this moment. 

He rounds the bend, feet still kicking up sand, eyes crinkled, and ears picking up sound that wasn’t his rapidly beating heart. When he takes in the scene in front of him Lucas slows to a stop. His eyes grow wide and his chest is heaving as he tries his best to take in oxygen. His eyes bounce back and forth, over everything. His face is lit up with a glow of a bonfire. 

An illegal one he is sure. He hears laughter first. He hears and feels Eliott stop behind him second. Feels as long arms wrap around his waist and a chin drop onto his shoulders. He feels Eliott’s hair tickle him and he is sure he would squirm away if he wasn’t so frozen. 

His eyes take in the ball that Idriss, Alex and Yann are kicking back and forth, keeping it away from Bas and Arthur. He doesn’t have to search to see Emma sitting back nursing a red solo cup, sitting on the sand next to the large piece of driftwood that Manon and Imane sit on as Sofiane tells an animated story and they listen intently. 

His mouth drops open when he sees Daphne, Alexia, and his mother making s’mores by the fire. 

“Lucas, what do you see?” The voice is quiet in his ears. Soft and sure. But he doesn’t know what to say because he doesn’t know what he’s looking at. Doesn’t know why his friends are there. Why Eliott wanted to show him this. 

“I’ll tell you what I see. I see your friends hanging out with my friends,” He trails off lips tracing a trail up Lucas’ neck slow and gentle. “I see mama Lallemant smiling and eating s’mores. Enjoying herself.” 

Lucas shivers when he feels those lips nip at his ears. Eliott steps forward, swings around to face Lucas who looks up at him in awe, shock, anything. Something he can’t place. 

“I see the people I want to be a part of my life enjoying each other’s company. I see new friends. I see us.” Lucas feels the warmth of Eliott’s hands as they move to cup his face, forcing him to look up at Eliott who his back lit from the glow of the fire. 

“I know this started out as some stupid plan to get your mom off your back but I couldn’t let this chance go when it landed in my lap, Lucas...I want this to be real.” 

Lucas is sure his brain stopped when Eliott told him he saw them together. 

“Y-you mean that?” Eliott smiles and nods his head. It takes a second before Lucas launches himself and locks lips with him. Mouth moving and sliding against the lips he’s been pining for all day. The move elicits a startled laugh from Eliott who catches his weight but falls backwards into the sand. 

Lucas opens his mouth in a gasp, laps at Eliott with a desire that was not befitting of the company they are in but he doesn’t care. He maps out Eliott’s mouth, licks his way in with a hunger to familiarize himself with his new boyfriend. Because there was no way he was going to let Eliott go now. Lucas ignores the laughter of their friends. The high-pitched whistle and Sofiane’s too smug _“Told you so”._

He does pull away when he hears the slight cough coming from his mom. Lucas forcefully pulls himself away, looks down at Eliott who is smiling like an idiot. Lucas sits up in the sand, weight resting on his legs that are folded beneath him. 

He takes in the smiling faces of his friends and Lucas feels so damn lucky. He looks at his mother who has a knowing look on her face. A face that tells him to hold on to this boy because he is special. Lucas looks down at Eliott who is still gazing up at him as if Lucas was his world. 

“You told her, didn’t you?” 

Lucas watches as Eliott pulls in his bottom lip sheepishly before nodding. 

“When?”

“During that first dinner when you disappeared. I told her my intentions and everything. She helped me plan this. Told me you loved the ocean. Everything was in place, the hardest to convince was Yann.”

Lucas looks back up and sees that his best friend was watching them closely, guarded. Lucas sent him a smile and Yann nodded before moving back to his game of soccer with the boys. Everyone content to leave the two of them alone for the time being. To settle things. 

Lucas bends and rests his forehead against Eliott’s, their noses brushing together softly. 

“Why didn’t you just ask me...why not tell me?” 

“Because I wanted it to be a surprise. For it to be special because your special.” Eliott states this like it is the most obvious thing in the world and Lucas has to bite back the urge to kiss him and rip off his clothing right then and there. 

“God and here I thought I had to seduce you by the end of this weekend to make this real. All this fucking time.” He huffs a laugh and plants a kiss onto Eliott’s waiting lips. 

“We are such fucking idiots.” Eliott doesn’t argue with that. 

“But I’m your idiot.” 

Damn straight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All grammar mistakes are mine. Like my babies. I will always apologize for my children ;).( I did not edit this is what I'm trying to say)
> 
> I could have added more but I liked where I ended it. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fic. It was fun to write. It was also very different from my normal writing. And so far the longest fic where there was barely any angst. Which I'm surprised I was able to stay away from this entire time. Tell me what you think please. If you think I deserve it.

**Author's Note:**

> So totally had to step away from Stacking Thoughts and remember what it was like to write simple humor and fluff for a sec there. 
> 
> Tried to write something for In the Wake of Everything but that needs time as well apparently. 
> 
> SO this baby was born. Hope you enjoy. Will only be a couple of chapters long. Stupid humor. Let me know what you think. I had fun with the characters.


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